National Day Town and country united on the Rütli for the federal celebrations
Several hundred people celebrated August 1 on the Rütli UR. The focus was on the unifying factor that holds diverse Switzerland together. No member of the Federal Council made an appearance this year.
01.08.2024, 11:53
01.08.2024, 14:33
SDA
When the visitors drove from Brunnen SZ to the Rütli on Thursday morning, it was gray and raining. The sky cleared at midday so that the ceremony could take place under blue skies and with sunshine.
The laying of the foundation stone of Switzerland is celebrated on 1 August, said Anders Stokholm, President of the Swiss Society for the Common Good (SGG), which organizes the ceremony. That is why the focus of this year's national celebration is on unity.
Tolerance needed
Switzerland cannot be reduced to a single denominator, said Stokholm. Its diversity makes it rich, and this must be used to shape the country's future. This is best done together. This is not always easy; tolerance is needed to create mutual understanding.
The official motto of the Rütli celebrations was "StadtLand" (urban-rural) and thus the urban-rural divide. Guest organizations at the Rütli were the Swiss Association of Towns and Cities (SSV) and the Swiss Association for Mountain Regions (SAB).
At a panel discussion, National Councillor Christine Bulliard-Marbach (center/FR), President of the SAB, said that there is indeed an urban-rural divide. But this is not a bad thing. The important thing is that there is a sense of togetherness.
Common challenges
The Mayor of Zurich, Corinne Mauch (SP), Vice President of the SSV, said on the podium that the urban-rural divide was smaller than often portrayed in the media. Mauch and Bulliard explained that there are many common challenges for the city and the countryside, such as climate change and electricity production.
In a small open-air exhibition, the two organizations presented projects on posters that have been implemented in recent decades to upgrade cities and regions. One poster was dedicated to the revived market in Bellinzona. According to the poster, markets forge "emotional ties" between the city and the countryside.
A member of the Federal Council did not appear at this year's celebration. As usual, it was accompanied by folkloric performances and concluded with the singing of the Swiss Psalm.
