First joint presentation of the theatre and dance awards, at the new Théâtre du Jura. The Swiss Grand Award for the Performing Arts / Hans Reinhart Ring goes to the choreographer Martin Zimmermann. Alain Berset quotes the postman Cheval, “This palace is art, it is dream, it is energy”, and notes that the Jura lacked […]
Fifty years after women’s suffrage, 246 women sit in the Federal Palace for the Women’s Session. Alain Berset recalls that until 1971, “die älteste Demokratie der Welt” was not a real democracy but a men’s power. The pandemic threatens to set equality back: “Die Coronakrise ist vor allem eine Krise der Frauen.” Speeches on this […]
Under the Italian presidency, G20 finance and health ministers meet in Rome. Ueli Maurer attends in person; Alain Berset takes part online from Berne. At the centre: the creation of a G20 task force on pandemic preparedness and response, focused on coordination and financing, with a secretariat at the WHO in Geneva. Switzerland argues for […]
Alain Berset speaks at the authorities’ conference of the Conference of Cities for Culture. He recalls that half of public funding for culture comes from cities and municipalities, which carry all the more weight when they speak with one voice. He reviews COVID aid for culture and the economic damage of the pandemic for artists […]
The craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanics of the Jura Arc, put forward by Switzerland and France, has just been inscribed as intangible cultural heritage of humanity. The 10th Watchmaking Heritage Biennale takes place from 2 to 7 November. Alain Berset welcomes the inscription and speaks about passing on skills, quoting Woody Allen: “I […]
Alain Berset opens the GIFF, addressing the “friends of margins and fine sets”. He pretends to know Italian cinema only through forgotten titles, from Visconti’s “Sandra” to “James Tont Operazione Due”, the better to speak of what makes a festival: rediscovering cinema together. Speeches on this site Geneva International Film Festival 2021 (French-language page)
Before the Swiss Baukultur Foundation, Alain Berset recalls that everything around us expresses our Baukultur: the new and the old, houses and infrastructure, the spaces between buildings. “Bauen ist Kultur. Bauen ist Identität.” He quotes Churchill in 1943, arguing for rebuilding the House of Commons as a rectangle: “We shape our buildings and afterwards our […]
In Berne, the tourism industry presents its Milestone awards: innovation (Parkn’Sleep, steam locomotive No. 7 of the Rigi Bahnen, Berg & Bett Toggenburg), young talent, a special Corona award, and a lifetime achievement award to Eva Brechtbühl. Alain Berset addresses a hard-hit industry and, eleven days before the vote, argues for the COVID-19 Act, put […]
At the invitation of Luxembourg, the German-speaking health and social affairs ministers meet by videoconference. Alain Berset takes part with Romain Schneider and Paulette Lenert (Luxembourg), State Secretaries Thomas Gebhart and Rolf Schmachtenberg (Germany), Manuel Frick (Liechtenstein) and Wolfgang Mückstein (Austria). On the social side: remote work, the resilience of social insurance, social security in […]
The people approve the COVID-19 Act a second time, this time on the certificate, with 62%. The initiative “For strong nursing care” is accepted by a large majority of the cantons. The campaign was marked by tension and threats. Alain Berset: “Il popolo ha detto sì alla legge per la seconda volta in pochi mesi”, […]
The World Health Assembly meets in special session, from 29 November to 1 December, to decide on an international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. Alain Berset opens it as representative of the host country. On the sidelines, he meets the delegations of Thailand, Singapore and Botswana, then holds a press briefing at the […]
The Stapferhaus in Lenzburg celebrates the European Museum of the Year Award. Alain Berset, as culture minister, salutes a museum that puts visitors at the centre. His starting point: “Meinungen wachsen uns allen wie Haare.” The danger is to stop asking questions, like Kissinger opening his press conferences with: “Hat jemand Fragen zu meinen Antworten?” […]
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