Zürich is an international city. Over 30% of inhabitants of the City of Zürich have something other than a Swiss passport, while a further 10% - 15% can be described as originally of different origin. It is also a fact that more migrants live in the City of Zürich than the European average, which is a decisive factor in making it an open, tolerant and multicultural city. People from all around the world make a real contribution to Zürich's urban dynamic, economic success and to its everyday socio-cultural life.

Zürich's commitment also extends to the rest of Switzerland and abroad in a variety of ways. Close community networking, representation of the city's interests and an intensive exchange of knowledge are pursued on a national, European and global level via memberships of city networks. The City of Zürich's qualities go beyond national borders and contribute to worldwide sustainable development via its relationship with twin cities Kunming and San Francisco, its dealings with domestic and foreign delegations and its handling of individual projects (such as Comptoir Suisse 2009 and the Shanghai 2010 World Expo).

The City of Zürich makes financial help available where it is most needed. It has been providing direct project aid for over three decades to Swiss charities in their commitment to help the populations of the poorest countries in the world.