For many years, the Staff Association (SA) has been organizing meetings with the delegations of the Member States and Associate Member States of the Organisation, in order to share ideas and positions on various issues of concern to CERN personnel.

Since almost a year and half, the health situation still does not allow a cocktail in person, so the Association has adapted once again to the context by organizing on Wednesday 15 September a remote “cocktail” with all the delegations of the Member States and Associate Member States and their “Ambassadors” of the Association.

The Ambassadors of the Staff Association are CERN colleagues who come to exchange in an informal way, in the national language of each State, which allows a friendly discussion on current issues and, at the same time, to collect the concerns, ideas and points of view of each State, member of the CERN Council.

About fifteen delegations were present and were able to exchange views on various topics with about fifty Ambassadors of the Association.

The topics discussed by the ambassadors were the following:

• 2021 Five-Yearly Review;
• Graduate Program Review;
• Status of Users; and
• Historical reminder concerning the 2011 package of measures aiming to restore balance to our Pension Fund.

The Staff Association would like to warmly thank all the participants of this cocktail, delegates and ambassadors, and looks forward to preparing the next cocktail before the end-of-year closure!