Switzerland Today

Hello from canton Zurich,

Afghanistan is still a dominant there here in Switzerland and we heard today about the “intense and emotional” evacuation of the Swiss SDC team from Afghanistan, as well as why the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross will continue its valuable work in the conflict-ridden country. The other big topic is the rise in coronavirus cases in Switzerland - although on Friday the number of new cases dipped under 3,000 for a second day in a row. Coronavirus protection measures in schools have been on everyone’s mind as the new term starts. I know they have been on mine, as my children will go back to school in canton Zurich next week.

Get involved: Here’s the debate of the day, as mentioned above, on marriage for all:

© Keystone/Gaetan Bally

In the news: Afghanistan, the Swiss abroad and the latest vote poll.

• Former parliamentarian Filippo Lombardi has been elected the new president of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad. The long-time Swiss abroad supporter and current vice-president replaces Remo Gysin who steps down after six years in office.
• The head of the Swiss cooperation office in Kabul, Walburga Roos, has described the evacuation of the team from Afghanistan as “intense and emotional”, in an interview published on the Swiss foreign office websiteExternal link. Six members of the Swiss Agency for Cooperation and Development (SDC) were airlifted to safety by the German embassy in Kabul from Sunday to Monday.
• A legal reform to allow same-sex marriage in Switzerland appears to be welcome, while a proposal to introduce a capital gains tax has split public opinion, according to the latest opinion poll ahead of the September 26 vote. We’re also running a discussion on marriage for all on our website. To get involved, scroll to the end of the briefing.

SRF-SWI

Talk of the Town: What measures should schools be taking to protect children from the coronavirus?

As in other countries, debate has been raging online and in the mediaExternal link about what can be done to prevent the spread of the highly-contagious Delta variant among schoolchildren. Of particular concern: the under 12s, who are not eligible for a coronavirus vaccination in Switzerland.

While health measures like social distancing, handwashing and ventilating remain in place for the new school term across the country, other measures, like masks and mass testing, are up to the cantons. This is because in Switzerland cantons are in charge of educational matters – and related Covid decisions.

We have highlighted in this article (with video) how one canton, Aargau, has become the first to offer mobile vaccination centres for older pupils (the over 16s) on school grounds. The move could be extended to those aged 12-15 in September.

Parents and experts have also mobilised: the #ProtectTheKids parent initiative has launched a petitionExternal link aimed at cantonal education directors, calling for “effective measures like CO2 sensors, air filters, obligatory mask wearing, and mass testing with uniform quarantine rules” for schools. Geneva virologist Isabella Eckerle said on TwitterExternal link earlier this month that measures in other areas of life should continue to keep infections down and protect the unvaccinated.

Meanwhile in higher education, a Basel professor of cognitive neuroscience provoked a flurry of articlesExternal link when he tweeted External link (in German) that “I will not offer any in-person lessons so long as unvaccinated and non-tested students are allowed into lecture halls”. Dominique de Quervain went on to explain his reasons in a thread, adding in the final tweet that he had received support from many other professors for his stance.

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Opinion: We have been offering perspectives from Switzerland and international Geneva on what is happening in Afghanistan.

Friday was the turn of Christine Cipolla, the ICRC’s Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific. She explains why the non-governmental ICRC will remain in Afghanistan during these troubled and uncertain times and how it will offer humanitarian aid to those “whose lives have been scarred by war”.