August 1 in quotes
Published: Thursday, Aug 1st 2024, 17:40
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The national celebrations on August 1 are the occasion for numerous speeches, greetings, tweets and video messages up and down the country. A selection:
"We may speak different languages, but we don't talk past each other."
(President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd in Möriken-Wildegg AG)
"Raclette is a very democratic dish when it's served properly: One person, one slice!"
(Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter in New York)
"Relations between the Swiss cantons in the Middle Ages were not always fraternal and friendly. But our ancestors always knew how to take the path of unity."
(Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis in Paris)
"Switzerland is diverse, but that doesn't make it any less united. This diversity must go hand in hand with the will to live together and pursue a common project."
(Minister of the Interior Elisabeth Baume-Schneider in Saint-Pierre-de-Clages VS)
"Happy birthday, dear Switzerland. I hope you remain so open, so connected, so curious and so tolerant. Thank you!"
(National Councillor Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter on X)
"We must strengthen democracy worldwide, we must improve cooperation worldwide. Switzerland can only be a happy country in a world in which common goals are pursued and in which these goals are achieved through international cooperation."
(Alec von Graffenried, Mayor of Bern in Bern)
"In our country, we are not spectators in the stands who are only allowed to boo and cheer. We are players, coaches and runners ourselves. We are all part of Team Switzerland."
(Markus Dieth, Aargau's state premier, in Bad Zurzach AG)
"The United States and Switzerland share a deep commitment to human rights, promoting democracy, achieving global health goals, and ensuring peace and security worldwide."
(US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his department's website)
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