Martin Lotscher, chairman of the Switzerland-Korea Committee, was elected chairman of the preparatory committee.

A statement was adopted at the inaugural ceremony.

The statement said Juche 106 (2017) is the significant year marking 105th birth anniversary of President Kim Il Sung, the 75th birth anniversary of leader Kim Jong Il and the 5th anniversary of Marshal Kim Jong Un's assumption of the top posts of the party and the state.

It is the steadfast will of friends of Korea, followers of the Juche idea and other progressives in the world to highly praise the undying exploits of the great men of Mt. Paektu who brought freedom and happiness to the Korean people and built and developed Korean-style socialism, the statement said, and went on:

A meeting for preparing the 2017 Meeting Praising Great Men of Mt. Paektu held in Pyongyang in October, Juche 104 (2015) called for forming preparatory committees for celebrating the Day of the Sun and the Day of the Shining Star in regions and countries in 2017 and for holding an international meeting on Mt. Paektu in 2017 in praise of the peerlessly great men.

The Switzerland-Korea Committee and the Swiss Group for the Study of the Juche Idea decided to form the Swiss preparatory committee to hold the meeting with splendor.

The preparatory committee will widely introduce the undying feats of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un among the Swiss people and fully support the just struggle of the Korean people for national reunification.