We are delighted to invite you to one of our most cherished traditions, the Freshers' Welcome, an annual gathering that celebrates the students preparing to matriculate at Oxford and Cambridge in 2026, as well as our graduates stepping into the next chapter of their lives, and brings together alumni, current members, and new joiners of the Oxford and Cambridge Club of Geneva.
Date: Monday, 21 September 2026
Time: from 18:30
Venue: Société de Lecture
We are especially pleased to host the evening at the Société de Lecture, one of Geneva's most storied institutions. Founded in April 1818 at the instigation of the botanist Augustin-Pyramus de Candolle, alongside the physicist Marc-Auguste Pictet and the man of letters Henri Boissier, the Société has since occupied the former residence of the King of France's representative, an eighteenth-century mansion built between 1740 and 1743 in the heart of Geneva's historic centre. It is a fitting setting for an evening that itself bridges generations, past and present, of Oxford and Cambridge in Geneva.
The gathering carries particular significance this year as we welcome not only our incoming Freshers but also our graduates, marking both the beginning of a new academic journey and the culmination of one already completed. It is a moment for the Club to stand alongside its members at both ends of the Oxbridge experience, celebrating ambition on one side and achievement on the other.
We are equally delighted to welcome H.E. Dr Richard Brown, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva, as our special guest and speaker. An Oxford alumnus, Dr Brown completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Diplomatic Studies at Oxford in 2006. He went on to earn a PhD in International Economics from the Geneva Graduate Institute and has built a distinguished career spanning international trade, economic diplomacy and Caribbean regional integration. Drawing on his journey from Jamaica to Oxford and international Geneva, Dr Brown will share reflections on education, leadership and public service; he will encourage our newest Oxford and Cambridge students to embrace opportunity, build bridges and help create a more inclusive future. During the evening, the Club will also have the honour of conferring Honorary Membership upon Dr Brown.
The programme will open with a welcome address from the Club, followed by Dr Brown's remarks, setting the tone for an evening centred on connection and continuity across generations of Oxford and Cambridge alumni in Geneva. This will be followed by an informal reception, offering a convivial setting for conversation and community-building.
Food and refreshments
The reception will feature a generous selection of homemade savoury and sweet canapés prepared by Genecand, with approximately ten pieces per person.
Savoury selection
Mini baguettes with ham and Gruyère
Mini pretzels with salmon and dill butter
Tortilla triangles
Pistachio-crusted pâté en croûte
Mini pastries with sun-dried tomato and cashew nuts
Sweet selection
Fresh-fruit tartlets
Caracs
Canelés
Drinks will be served throughout the evening and will include:
Belles Filles Chasselas AOC Genève
Belles Filles Gamay AOC Genève
Still and sparkling Swiss mineral water
Local apple juice from the Cidrerie de Meinier
Coca-Cola
Guests with allergies or dietary requirements are kindly asked to specify them when registering.
It will be a chance for newcomers to learn from those who came before them, for graduates to be recognised among peers who understand the milestone they have just reached, and for alumni more broadly to reconnect while welcoming the next generation into our shared tradition.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Freshers: Free of charge
Oxford and Cambridge graduands: CHF 20
OCCG members: CHF 40
Guests: CHF 65
For any enquiries, please contact the event organisers:
Ludovic Claude (ludo.claude@gmail.com)
Christian Mannoni (christian.mannoni@gmail.com)
Don Birch (donbirch97@gmail.com)
Your participation keeps alive the Club's tradition in Geneva since 1949, a tradition built on exactly this kind of gathering, where those arriving and those completing their studies are welcomed with the same warmth. Whether reconnecting with old friends, celebrating a graduate's achievement, or welcoming our Freshers, this will be a memorable evening for all.
