Moutier celebrates historic transition from Bern to Jura

Moutier celebrates its transition to the Jura Keystone-SDA

After decades of heated debate and controversy, the historic moment has arrived: Moutier, with its 7,300 inhabitants, is switching from Canton Bern to the Jura at the stroke of midnight. A banquet, a procession, torches and a sound and light show will accompany the change.

Several thousand people are expected to take part in the “Nuit pour l’histoire”‘” (Night for History), the slogan the organisers have chosen to celebrate the cantonal handover, which takes place almost five years after the popular vote.

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The official ceremony will take place at 16:45 in front of the Town Hall, in the presence of representatives of the municipal authorities, the Jura government and the Moutier Ville jurassienne committee. This will be followed by a banquet with over 1,200 participants.

Sound and light show

A procession with torches will then set off at 10:30 pm through the streets of the town centre, where a sound and light show will accompany the last moments of Moutier as a Bernese town. The spectacular event has been conceived as a tribute to history and the path travelled to achieve the longed-for change of canton.

For the night owls, there will be dancing to music provided by DJs. Public establishments can stay open all night.

No anti-separatists

Although the entire population of Moutier is invited to attend the event, which is designed to be more of a party than a political event, it is unlikely that anti-separatists will join the revelry. For some of the opponents, the stroke of midnight will be experienced as a kind of mourning farewell to the canton of Bern.

Adapted from Italian by AI/jdp

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