NEW YORK, NY -- Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, will travel to Switzerland in May 2006, tracing the roots of his ancestors who lived in the Bernese Emmental. Additionally, the Swiss Federal Charter, known as the "Schweizer Bundesbrief," will be shown in the U.S. for the first time ever at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia. These and other events such as a Swiss immigration exhibition at New York's Ellis Island Museum are part of Swiss Roots, which aims to bring America and Switzerland closer together.

Various events will be organized to promote Swiss Roots, including Roethlisberger's visit to his ancestors' home town in Bernese Emmental and the exhibit of the Swiss Federal Charter, the "Schweizer Bundesbrief" of 1291, in Philadelphia's Constitution Center. The presentation of the "Bundesbrief," the first time it has ever been displayed outside of Switzerland, takes place within the framework of the "Sister Republics" exhibition, showing the close historic links between the U.S. and Swiss constitutions.

Swiss Roots brings the United States and Switzerland closer together through activities that foster dialogue, understanding, and both online and offline exchanges. The program's centerpiece, www.swissroots.org, is a state-of-the-art Web site that serves as a gateway for the one million Americans of Swiss descent to discover their ancestral roots and those with Swiss affinity to discover and communicate with people in Switzerland.

Ben has an interview on Swiss Roots. Here are some excerpts:

Swiss Roots: What kind of images do you think of when you think about Switzerland?

Ben Roethlisberger: Going on things I just know in general and have heard from other people, it's an absolutely beautiful country. I'm an outdoors kind of guy and love to go fishing and all that stuff, and I think that it's got to be just gorgeous. I'm sure you can just stand outside and spin around in circles and look at the beautiful landscape and just let it take your breath away. So I'm looking forward to that and seeing all the things I know Switzerland has to offer.

Swiss Roots: We're trying to arrange a trip for you to go to Switzerland and show you the sights, including a visit to your great-grandfather's town in the Bernese Emmental.

Ben Roethlisberger: That'd be awesome! If that town is known for their cheese, then I should take my dad: he loves cheeses, and he actually used to work in a cheese factory, so I know he'd love that.

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It sounds like Ben’s trip to Switzerland will consist of standing outside spinning in circles and eating cheese. Awesome.

One other extremely interesting snippet:

Swiss Roots: Finally, you've already accomplished in 2 years what few NFL players ever do in their whole careers - win a Super Bowl. Where do you go from here?

Ben Roethlisberger: I have a couple things planned this summer, other than hopefully getting to Switzerland. [Retired Steelers runningback] Jerome Bettis is getting married during the off-season, so I'm going to try to make that trip, and I wouldn't mind getting away to an island somewhere and relaxing for awhile, sipping margaritas on a beach.

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Did anybody else know that Jerome was getting married this summer? I also discovered he has a 1-year old daughter with this mystery woman. But when is the wedding?

Cool Ben stuff:

"Ben there, won that" T-shirt (click for tons of varieties)	Ben Roethlisberger flag