On 30 June 2024, Prof. Dr Johannes Blum-Hasler, President of the Mission 21 Board, will formally retire in Basel. Blum-Hasler, born in 1955, was elected President of the Board by the Synod in 2015 and has been a member of the Board since 2012. Previously, he was president of Mission 21's supporting organisation, the Evangelical Mission in Kwango (EMIK).

Blum-Hasler has worked at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute since 1991. He is also a lecturer at the University of Basel's Faculty of Medicine. Blum-Hasler's involvement in tropical medicine began in 1987, when he worked as a tropical doctor at the Hôpital de Vanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There he not only took on medical responsibility, but also trained local doctors. 

In his farewell address, Rev. Dr Dieter Heidtmann, General Secretary of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS), paid tribute to Blum-Hasler's extraordinary commitment to cooperation. "In recent years, Mission 21 and EMS have embarked on a journey that has brought the organisations closer together – and we owe this to your commitment to fraternal cooperation," Heidtmann said.

The special bond between Mission 21 and the EMS is not only evident in official projects, but also in everyday matters: "In the EMS travel policy, there is an exception for domestic travel - and for trips to Basel," Heidtmann explained. This close relationship has been cemented by Blum-Hasler's tireless commitment to a "community of faith, learning and sharing".

Blum-Hasler's vision that mission should transcend boundaries and act as an equal partner has had a lasting impact on the work of Mission 21 and EMS. "It has always been an enriching experience to meet with you," said Heidtmann, inviting Blum-Hasler to continue their discussions on the future of church and society.

Johannes Blum-Hasler's impressive career and deep commitment to global health and ecumenical cooperation leave a great legacy. Mission 21 and the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity bid farewell to a dedicated and experienced professional as he enters his well-deserved retirement, whose legacy will be felt for a time to come.