Thoune
Manuscrit, non publié à l’époque. Seul le prononcé fait foi. Les notes de travail ont été retirées.
Discours prononcé en anglais et en français. Texte original, non traduit.
Ladies and gentlemen
Our cultural heritage is the exact opposite of national stereotypes.
It is diverse, complex and – most of all – it conveys real history – and not just an assortment of clichés.
But nevertheless, we are frequently reduced to such clichés.
Occasionally we even reduce ourselves to them.
Switzerland is a good example of this.
All over the world, our country is linked to cheese, banks and – of course – chocolate.
Our tourism experts like to present our country as the land of cows and yodelling.
When in fact, we are an economic powerhouse.
When Johanna Spyri, the author of ‘Heidi’, was born in 1827, Swiss industrialisation was already in full swing.
And so we produce and reproduce these Swiss stereotypes.
By the way: I hope you enjoyed the Swiss chocolate we’ve provided today.
As British author and actor Stephen Fry once aptly put it:
„It is a cliché that most clichés are true,
but then like most clichés, that cliché is untrue.“
Ladies and gentlemen
Our cultural heritage is far richer than the national parodies to which it is sometimes reduced in this age of globalisation.
Our cultural heritage is more than the preservation of our history.
It is the basis of our future.
For in it, we recognise ourselves – free from romantic idealisation and caricature.
Globalisation, rapid technological developments and social change also pose a cultural challenge.
It is therefore important that we reflect on who we are – while making sure we do not withdraw into ourselves.
Thereby losing our curiosity for others – as we would finally end up losing our curiosity for ourselves.
In this respect, our cultural heritage remains a core element of our identity – as a society and as individuals.
Our cultural heritage brings our traditions alive – traditions we developed through contact with others.
Ladies and gentlemen
We are currently facing major challenges in Europe: the refugee crisis, high unemployment, the threat of terror, the rise of populist forces.
These difficult circumstances place high demands on our democracy and our cultural identity.
Preserving our cultural heritage may never have been as important as it is today.
It strengthens our social cohesion. It provides a sense of identity that is open to everyone. It confronts myth with historical reality.
Because our cultural heritage is so important, at times it is exploited – and sometimes this involves extreme violence.
The dramatic human cost of the Syrian civil war is indescribable. And the wilful destruction of cultural heritage is unacceptable. It is testament to a hatred of civilisation – a hatred we must defy.
We must do everything we can to stop to this destruction. Just like the so dedicated and brave organisations. We owe them – most notably UNESCO and ICCROM – our recognition and appreciation.
Ladies and gentlemen
Europe (the EU and the Council of Europe) is organising the European Cultural Heritage Year, which will take place in 2018.
The last Cultural Heritage Year, carried out in 1975, led to a greater awareness of the need for an integrated approach to conservation.
Switzerland will be deeply involved in the Heritage Year 2018.
It will be a great opportunity to show the population – young people in particular – the importance of conservation, which is often perceived as a constraint.
The theme of the Heritage Year is ‘sharing heritage’ – sharing European values with the world. It is an enormously relevant theme that relates back to our commitments outside Europe.
I am convinced that the European Union and the Council of Europe will ensure that the European Cultural Heritage Year is a success.
You can count on Switzerland’s commitment.
Mesdames, Messieurs
En Suisse comme ailleurs, la population est très attachée au patrimoine.
Toutefois, d’autres défis mettent la conservation du patrimoine sous pression. S’adapter au tournant énergétique, densifier le tissu construit sont des objectifs plus que positifs.
Leur mise en œuvre sans dommage pour le patrimoine nécessite en revanche des efforts de toutes les parties.
Dialogue, communication et pédagogie sont aujourd’hui des tâches permanentes des responsables du patrimoine.
Un forum comme le EHHF, ouvert et pragmatique, ne peut être que bénéfique. Il permet des échanges entre experts et responsables du patrimoine, soumis à des réalités différentes.
Cette rencontre permet d’entamer un dialogue constructif, qui nous incite à prêter davantage attention à notre patrimoine culturel. Elle montre aussi l’importance des conditions politiques et économiques afin d’octroyer au patrimoine culturel la place qu’il mérite.
J’espère que vous avez pu avoir des échanges fructueux.
Je souhaite encore plein succès à votre rencontre et espère que votre séjour en Suisse sera agréable, en particulier lors de votre visite à Lavaux, vignoble en terrasses inscrit depuis 2007 au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO.
Cette magnifique région de Lavaux a inspiré de nombreux artistes, dont notamment les peintres William Turner, Oskar Kokoschka et Ferdinand Hodler.
Et c’est un paysage qui nous montre que nature et culture ne sont pas antagonistes mais en harmonie et qu’ils font partie de notre identité. L’écrivain Charles Ferdinand Ramuz l’a magnifiquement évoqué :
Le bon Dieu a commencé, nous on est venu ensuite et on a fini… Le bon Dieu a fait la pente, mais nous on a fait qu’elle serve, on a fait qu’elle tienne, on a fait qu’elle dure (…)
Et ce n’est plus du naturel, c’est du fabriqué ; c’est nous, c’est fabriqué par nous, ça ne tient grâce à nous ; ça n’est plus une pente, c’est une construction, c’est une tour, c’est un devant de forteresse… »
Merci de votre attention.