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Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The school winter breaks have ended and the conference season moves into full swing in Geneva this week. The fourth annual Lift conference asks “Where did the future go?” with several workshops and speakers Wednesday to Friday, 25-27 February. Webster University holds its 14th annual international humanitarian conference, with for its 2009 theme the psychological impact of humanitarian crises. Climate change, the Reformation and how to fill out US tax forms are part of the other talks on offer in town.

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The University of Geneva focuses on Calvin and the other Reformers as part of its 450th anniversary lecture series and the Graduate Institute hosts a roundtable on climate change and a financial meltdown lecture.

The Lift conference is an event that grew rapidly in part because it is one of the rare events in the Lake Geneva region where entrepreneurs, multinationals and international organization people mix informally, and in particular people from different parts of every industry – human resources and marketing people, inventors and scientists. One of the highlights this year will be Vincent Cerf, Google’s Internet Evangelist since 2005 (here’s his blog), talking about his vision of the Internet’s future.

Webster’s conference, run under the “auspices” of the canton of Geneva, has grown to be a major conference date in the Geneva calendar. The student-organized event receives strong support from the UNHCR and the ICRC (UN organization for refugees and the International Red Cross). This year’s theme has a number of speakers looking at the impact of humanitarian crises on communities, individuals and also the international and local workers who provide help. The conference is free and open to the public.

Luther and Calvin, two very different Reformation personalities: the University of Geneva’s Tuesday 24 February conference looks at who the people behind those large statues that form part of the Reformation Wall in the centre of Geneva. Friday 27 another conference explores the impact of the Reformation on Geneva.

The Graduate Institute’s roundtable on climate change 23 February examines how we can adapt to climate change. Thursday 26 February it hosts Eric Gravel, chief legal officer at the International Labour Organization who looks at how the ILO can help clean up the global social challenges arising from the economic crisis.

For anyone concerned about US tax forms, certainly a hot topic in 2009, Peter Stefanou of RBSM LLP, New York, and Joseph Riedweg of Audiconsult SA, Geneva present “All you need to know about 2008 reporting requirements and other tax issues in the U.S. and Switzerland,” hosted by the American International Club of Geneva Wednesday 18:00. They will cover US tax reporting requirements as well as Swiss tax filing information (registration by 23 February).

 (Ed.note: details for these and other conferences, GenevaLunch events page)