The Global Health Centre of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies publishes a guide to global health diplomacy. Alain Berset opens the online launch with a video message, alongside Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, former WHO Director-General Margaret Chan and EU High Representative Josep Borrell. He cites COVAX and the ACT Accelerator as milestones in […]
After consulting the cantons, the Federal Council decides on a cautious first step. From 1 March, shops, museums and library reading rooms reopen, as do outdoor sports and leisure facilities and the outdoor areas of zoos and botanical gardens. Outdoors, people may again meet in groups of fifteen. Young people up to the age of […]
The session opens on 15 March, largely virtual. Alain Berset leads the Swiss delegation and speaks in the general debate with a pre-recorded statement. Themes of the year: women’s full and effective participation in public decision-making and the elimination of violence. He starts from the pandemic, which hits women harder: they hold the jobs where […]
Switzerland expects at least eight million doses between April and the end of July. The President of the Confederation, Guy Parmelin, and Alain Berset bring together by videoconference the Conference of Cantonal Health Directors, the President of the Conference of Cantonal Governments, the scientific task force, the Federal Commission for Vaccination and the manufacturers Pfizer […]
A ceremony without an audience, broadcast live from the RTS studios in Geneva. “Schwesterlein” by Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond wins the Quartz for best fiction film and four other awards; “Das neue Evangelium” by Milo Rau wins best documentary. The Honorary Award goes to Liselotte Pulver. Alain Berset speaks of a Swiss cinema “to […]
The Federal Council continues the step-by-step reopening, although four of the five indicators exceed their thresholds. From 19 April, events with an audience resume in stadiums, cinemas, concert halls and theatres, with capacity limits; indoor sport and culture are allowed again; restaurants reopen their terraces. The government judges the risk acceptable: the reopened activities take […]
Presentation of the Swiss Literature Awards, under health restrictions. Alain Berset opens with the virus: “Wir alle haben genug von diesem Virus. Leider hat das Virus noch nicht genug von uns.” Literature, he says, lives from readings, debates and open bookshops; authors have lost a source of income. He recalls the measures taken for culture […]
The Assembly is held online for the second year. Alain Berset opens it from WHO headquarters, as representative of the host country. He thanks the organisation and calls on member states to invest in a universal and lasting architecture of health protection: no country can overcome a pandemic alone. Switzerland supports COVAX and the ACT […]
For the centenary of Friedrich Dürrenmatt, the Swiss Literary Archives of the National Library publish his great autobiographical project, “Stoffe”, in five volumes with Diogenes, and put online some 30,000 digitised manuscript pages. At the launch, Alain Berset rereads Dürrenmatt through the lens of a Switzerland spared and of its identity: “Wie schweizerisch ist die […]
The 6th National Conference on Federalism meets in Basel, amid controversy over the respective roles of the Confederation and the cantons in the pandemic. Alain Berset draws a first institutional assessment. He answers the headlines announcing a crisis of federalism with history, and with Napoleon: “Ich wäre ausserstande, die Schweiz zu regieren.” The system was […]
In Grenchen, with the Landammann and health director Susanne Schaffner, Alain Berset visits Switzerland’s first drive-in vaccination centre. In Solothurn, he sees the test centre set up at the Kulturfabrik Kofmehl, run by the concert venue’s staff. Talks follow with the cantonal government delegation, including the director of education and culture, Remo Ankli, and with […]
The people approve the COVID-19 Act, challenged by referendum. It provides the basis for aid to companies, the self-employed and culture, and for the Federal Council’s power to take measures. Alain Berset comments on the result before the press. The same day, the CO2 Act is rejected.
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