Alain Berset presents the Swiss Literature Awards 2017. The Grand Award goes to Pascale Kramer. His speech overturns two preconceptions about the winner: the writer of dark texts has “a very cheerful core”; the advertising professional is a master of the unspoken. “Sie ist ein Anti-Candide – sie fürchtet, dass wir in der Tat in […]
For his first trip abroad as head of state, Alexander Van der Bellen comes to Berne. The President of the Confederation, Doris Leuthard, receives him together with Sebastian Kurz, Austrian Foreign Minister. Alain Berset, Vice-President of the Federal Council, joins the delegations for lunch. On the agenda: relations between Switzerland and the EU after Brexit, […]
Alain Berset speaks to alliance F, the alliance of Swiss women’s organisations, at the preview screening of Petra Volpe’s film on the introduction of women’s suffrage in 1971. “Es ist offensichtlich: Ich stehe hier als Mann vor der Alliance F.” He adds that equality is as much a matter for men as for women. The […]
Before the “Christ und Politik” parliamentary group, Alain Berset speaks about the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. He opens with his own situation: a Catholic Federal Councillor from Fribourg speaking about Calvin and Zwingli. And with a question: what would Calvin have said about negative interest rates? He offers a political reading of the Reformation: […]
Alain Berset addresses the parliamentary group on culture on digitalisation. He opens with Dickens: “Es war die beste aller Zeiten, es war die schlimmste aller Zeiten.” New technologies are upending music, the media and cinema. The Oscar-nominated film “Manchester by the Sea” comes from Amazon. Jobs are disappearing; policy must respond with continuing education and […]
In Valletta, Alain Berset takes part in the informal meeting of health ministers organised by the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the EU and chaired by Minister Chris Fearne. Three themes: childhood obesity, HIV/AIDS — 30,000 new cases a year in the EU, EFTA and Switzerland — and cross-border cooperation on access to advanced […]
Alain Berset, Vice-President of the Federal Council, receives Liberian Vice-President Joseph N. Boakai in Berne. The talks cover migration, justice and the economy. Switzerland’s imports from Liberia are mainly gold. Alain Berset draws his guest’s attention to the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, which Switzerland has helped to shape; Liberia says it is […]
Alain Berset opens the 100th edition of Baselworld, the world watch and jewellery show. He sees it as a sign of optimism at an uncertain time for the industry: more than 100,000 visitors, 1,300 brands. “Krise des Realen in einer virtuellen Shopping-Welt? 1‘300 Marken sind hier präsent.” Speeches on this site Ouverture de Baselworld 2017 […]
The 20th Swiss Film Award ceremony takes place at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices in Geneva, in the presence of Alain Berset. “Ma vie de Courgette” and “Die göttliche Ordnung” each win in three categories. Alain Berset presents the Honorary Quartz to Bruno Ganz. He opens with an image from Angelopoulos’s “Eternity and a Day”: […]
In Berne, Alain Berset speaks to the partners and sponsors of the Locarno Festival, which is celebrating its 70th edition. He takes up the remark of the department-store pioneer John Wanamaker: half of his advertising budget is wasted, but he does not know which half. For Locarno, he says, both halves are well spent. The […]
Alain Berset speaks at the ceremony marking the centenary of Pro Senectute, in the presence of three former Federal Councillors. He starts from Google’s Calico project, which promises a life of 500 years: he would then be an “Alt-Bundesrat” for 400 years. Then he returns to the substance: longer life expectancy and old-age provision, six […]
Alain Berset opens the documentary film festival in Nyon. “The 21st century is the century of every paradox.” The internet and the “Great Immediate Whole” blur the line between what is real and what is not. Speeches on this site Ouverture du festival Visions du Réel (French-language page)
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