Switzerland Today
Hello from Bern!
It was a quiet Swiss National Day here with the heavy rainfall putting a damper on barbecues, but the Swiss, wherever they are in the world, still found a way to celebrate all things Swiss on Sunday. Even Google waved the red-and-white flag on its homepage in honour of the Alpine nation.
But August 1 isn’t just about cervelats and bottles of Chasselas. Government ministers took the opportunity to send similar messages about the need for solidarity to face the challenges ahead. This comes at a time of growing divisions in the country over Covid-19 vaccinations.
In the News: Swiss bankers had a rude awakening from climate activists this morning.
- Bankers in Zurich were in for surprise this morning when they found hundreds of climate activists blocking the entrance to major UBS and Credit Suisse branches in Paradeplatz, the city’s financial centre. The activists said the banks need to stop funding environmentally damaging projects and companies. There could be more to come on this later in the week. This is part of a week of action organised by the coalition Rise up for Change.
- This wasn’t the only story about banks today. The Financial Times picked a bone with UBS over its stance on wealth inequality. The bank, like many other wealth managers, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the widening wealth gap. It also made it cheaper than ever for the wealthy to maximise their gains with low-cost loans. But UBS has also been one of the most vocal critics of inequality. The FT wrote that while it’s a good sign that the bank seems to care about the issue, the overall message “smacks of shame or hypocrisy”.
- In less acrimonious news, Switzerland and Iceland are joining forces to bury CO2 to limit the effects of climate change. Behind the efforts are two start-ups: the Swiss Climeworks, which has developed technology to capture CO2 from the air, and an Icelandic partner that has figured out how to bury it in volcanic subsoil. Sounds like a climate marriage made in heaven.
Deep Dive: Free cake, OK, but mandatory vaccine – not so fast in Switzerland.
As my colleague Jonas Glatthard writes, Switzerland is experiencing a similar phenomenon to many other wealthier countries: declining interest in Covid-19 vaccination. The pace started to slow earlier than expected and faster than in many other European countries. This comes at a time when new Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly.
This has ignited a debate in the country over how much to use sticks or carrotsExternal link to convince people to get the jab. The government has tried information campaigns, free cake and easy access to bars and dance clubs. Our own debate among SWI swissinfo.ch readers attracted more than 160 comments about how to convince people to get the vaccine.
In his August 1 speech, Swiss President Guy Parmelin said he didn’t agree with mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers, as is the case in neighbouring Italy and France. However, he warned that individual freedom cannot encroach on the freedom of others.
The government still has some tricks up its sleeve before it resorts to coercion, Parmelin said. For one, he said it’s time for the government to stop footing the bill for Covid tests.
Culture Corner: Ernst Heiniger’s big talk may have been unusual for a Swiss, but it was an asset in Hollywood.
The photographer turned filmmaker befriended Walt Disney in the 1950s, eventually working on several films for the California-based film producer. Two of the films went on to win Academy Awards. Despite the acclaim, little is known about the man and his Swiss roots.
A new exhibit at the Swiss Photo Foundation in Winterthur is shedding light on Heiniger, who came from humble beginnings in a Swiss farming village to rub shoulders with Hollywood stars. He became best known for pioneering a 360° film system, which was used to produce one of the most widely viewed films in Switzerland. Can you guess which one?
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