Swiss Identity

From fine arts to cultural traditions, demographics and the future of work, we look at factors shaping and representing Swiss life and how it compares to elsewhere in the world.

How Halloween became part of Swiss culture

This content was published on Oct 31, 2026 The Swiss calendar is packed with bizarre and often alarming traditions. Is there room for Halloween? Yes, say delighted children and pumpkin-sellers.

Aging society

Self-determination over religious freedom: Zurich sends strong signal on assisted dying

This content was published on Sep 27, 2026 Voters in canton Zurich have made it obligatory for care homes and hospitals to offer assisted suicide. This presents faith-based institutions with a dilemma.

The image shows an elderly person, covered up, lying in bed with a rose in their hand.

Is Zurich forcing Christian homes to tolerate assisted suicide?

This content was published on Aug 31, 2026 Christian care homes see their autonomy and freedom of religion as being under threat as a result of the vote on assisted suicide in Zurich.

French-Canadian director Denis Côté during a photocall at Locarno Film Festival.

Dying with dignity, living with freedom: Denis Côté on ‘Nobody’s Violence’

This content was published on Aug 23, 2026 In his latest film, premiered in Locarno, Canadian filmmaker Denis Côté follows a woman who delivers assisted death to strangers.

Detail view of a thousand Swiss franc note

Switzerland no longer wants to foot the bill for ‘suicide tourism’

This content was published on Feb 21, 2026 In Switzerland, all deaths through assisted suicide must be followed by a medical and legal investigation. This entails considerable costs for the state.

An assisted suicide room, with a glass and a vial labelled 'sodium pentobarbital' in the foreground.

Swiss politicians decide against monitoring assisted-suicide tourism

This content was published on Feb 2, 2026 How many people travel to Switzerland to end their lives? Swiss politicians do not want a precise count. Parliament has rejected a proposal to introduce monitoring.

Pegasos association rekindles controversy over assisted suicide in Switzerland

This content was published on Oct 29, 2025 British families have accused the Swiss association Pegasos of helping their loved ones to die without genuine medical justification. What is behind this accusation?

Readers share their thoughts on how to die with dignity.

What does a ‘dignified death’ mean to you?

This content was published on Apr 3, 2025 More European countries are legalising assisted dying because of the growing recognition of the right to die.

After the first ‘Sarco pod’ death, will Switzerland introduce stricter rules for assisted suicide?

This content was published on Feb 6, 2025 The first death to come about using the Sarco capsule has reignited debate on whether assisted dying should be more tightly regulated in Switzerland.

Actor Tilda Swinton in a scene from The Room Next Door.

How film and literature have influenced the acceptance of assisted suicide

This content was published on Jan 6, 2025 Powerful stories of assisted dying are etched in our collective memory. Now, a research project from Switzerland is gathering artistic works on the subject.

To what extent do you think assisted suicide should be a legally available option to those who want to end their lives?

Switzerland legalised assisted suicide in the 1940s. More than 1,000 seriously ill or disabled people end their lives with the help of suicide assistants in Switzerland each year.

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Yoshi travels from Japan to Switzerland to die

This content was published on Sep 13, 2021 A Japanese man came all the way to Switzerland to die. SWI swissinfo.ch accompanied him on the final part of his journey. This is his story.

Culture

How Halloween became part of Swiss culture

This content was published on Oct 31, 2026 The Swiss calendar is packed with bizarre and often alarming traditions. Is there room for Halloween? Yes, say delighted children and pumpkin-sellers.

Swiss former president tackles Nazi-era and colonial loot in museums

This content was published on Oct 23, 2026 A new Swiss commission led by former Swiss president Simonetta Sommaruga will review disputed cases and issue recommendations.

The SKZ art workshop for children is an experiment in collaboration between artists and children. The workshop is inspired by Friedrich Fröbel’s original concept of the kindergarten from 1837: a garden that fosters natural learning and creative growth.

The American creative who devoted his career to an imaginary Swiss art school

This content was published on Oct 18, 2026 The Zurich State Academy of Art has a curriculum, furniture, and apparently tens of thousands of students – but it’s all just an invention of Los Angeles artist Dan Levenson.

Simon de Pury: ‘The art market is ripe for disruption’

This content was published on Oct 10, 2026 The star auctioneer tells Swissinfo that the art market’s future depends on technology and tearing down its walls of exclusivity.

Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich in a scene of 'A Talent for Murder'.

‘A Talent for Murder’: Patricia Highsmith deserved something nastier

This content was published on Oct 4, 2026 Anton Corbijn’s film is an affectionate, if ultimately too gentle, tribute to a writer whose work was rarely known for its affection.

Inglourious subtitlers and the art of cinematic transcreators

This content was published on Oct 3, 2026 Subtitles have been essential to global cinema for nearly a century. In multilingual Switzerland, they are also a vital part of film history.

US actress Amanda Seyfried, surrounded by fans (or ‘content creators’?) on the Green Carpet during the ZFF 2025.

Can film criticism survive the TikTok era?

This content was published on Oct 2, 2026 The Zurich Film Festival has partnered with TikTok. The more influencers shape the cinema world, the more film criticism is pushed to the sidelines, argues film critic Denise Bucher.

Steilneset Memorial The Steilneset Memorial in the town of Vardø (Norway) commemorates the trial and execution in 1621 of 91 people for witchcraft. The memorial was designed by Zumthor together with French-American artist Louise Bourgeois and was opened in 2011.

Wim Wenders takes a 3D journey into Peter Zumthor’s quiet monumentality

This content was published on Oct 1, 2026 In his new documentary, the German director offers an immersive exploration of the Swiss architect’s work.

Isabelle Huppert signing an autograph on the red carpet at the Locarno Film Festival.

‘All About Corinne’: When French star Isabelle Huppert plays an extra

This content was published on Sep 20, 2026 At the Locarno Film Festival, Marc Fitoussi presented a comedy in which reality and fiction constantly mirror each other.

‘Parfümerie’ at the Biennale: Zurich’s underground club lives on in Venice

Parfümerie at the Biennale: Zurich’s underground club scene lives on in Venice

This content was published on Sep 10, 2026 Paying homage to the Zurich underground club, a performance duo brings the spirit of a cultural movement back to life.

Fifty years of the Maison d’Ailleurs: a mecca for science fiction fans

This content was published on Sep 7, 2026 From prison to sci-fi wonderland, Yverdon’s Maison d’Ailleurs is more than a museum – it’s an adventure.

Future of work

The trend towards part-time work is pronounced among doctors

Many Swiss men desire, but decline, part-time work

This content was published on Sep 30, 2026 While the proportion of part-time men has doubled since 2000, many are still reluctant to reduce, especially in certain professions.

Switzerland is one of leading countries for remote work

This content was published on Sep 1, 2026 Average proportion of hours spent working at home in Switzerland is 37%, even after the pandemic.

In 2019, interns at the UN in Geneva protested low pay

Inequality in intern pay is distorting the Swiss job market

This content was published on Aug 25, 2026 Disparity in pay for Swiss internships is affecting a generation’s relationship with work.

We asked an AI about the future – its answer might scare you

This content was published on Jul 30, 2026 A few prompts in, Google’s Gemini paints a dark future. In conversation with a language model.

Robots are unlikely to replace human workers any time soon

How artificial intelligence is shaping the Swiss job market

This content was published on Jul 22, 2026 AI experience is fast becoming an essential skill for hiring companies.

A board with dummies and name tags; two tags are missing.

Swiss birth rate hits all-time low as new challenge looms

This content was published on Jun 20, 2026 In times of economic crisis, couples put off having children. Now, on top of this, comes an existential fear: will AI make us superfluous?

KPMG’s study is the latest in a number of apparent AI hallucinations in reports by professional services firms.

KPMG report contained AI hallucinations on benefits of . . . AI

This content was published on Jun 12, 2026 Bogus case studies on UBS and transit systems exaggerated adoption of AI technology.

A view of Zurich and the Prime Tower on a stormy night

Will AI secure or shake Swiss prosperity?

This content was published on May 4, 2026 AI may close the productivity gap left by ageing populations, or instead drive mass job losses and reshape global wealth. Which scenario emerges will depend on choices made today.

The banking sector has been particularly affected by redundancies.

Why unemployment in Switzerland is increasing more than elsewhere in Europe

This content was published on Feb 24, 2026 The number of people in Switzerland who are out of work increased for the second year in a row. This contrasts with the situation in the European Union.

The 1974 Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation redefined the role of Christianity in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

How a conference in Lausanne changed the Protestant faith

This content was published on Dec 4, 2025 A conference in Lausanne in 1974 permanently shaped the way the Protestant faith was to be lived and interpreted.

Is AI for sign language promising or futile?

This content was published on Oct 2, 2025 Labs and start-ups in Switzerland are working on using AI to advance sign language interpretation, but they face many challenges.

Demographics

History

Swiss Identity

More

How Halloween became part of Swiss culture

More

Self-determination over religious freedom: Zurich sends strong signal on assisted dying

More

Is Zurich forcing Christian homes to tolerate assisted suicide?

More

Dying with dignity, living with freedom: Denis Côté on ‘Nobody’s Violence’

More

Switzerland no longer wants to foot the bill for ‘suicide tourism’

More

Swiss politicians decide against monitoring assisted-suicide tourism

More

Pegasos association rekindles controversy over assisted suicide in Switzerland

More

What does a ‘dignified death’ mean to you?

More

After the first ‘Sarco pod’ death, will Switzerland introduce stricter rules for assisted suicide?

More

How film and literature have influenced the acceptance of assisted suicide

More

To what extent do you think assisted suicide should be a legally available option to those who want to end their lives?

More

Yoshi travels from Japan to Switzerland to die

More

How Halloween became part of Swiss culture

More

Swiss former president tackles Nazi-era and colonial loot in museums

More

The American creative who devoted his career to an imaginary Swiss art school

More

Simon de Pury: ‘The art market is ripe for disruption’

More

‘A Talent for Murder’: Patricia Highsmith deserved something nastier

More

Inglourious subtitlers and the art of cinematic transcreators

More

Can film criticism survive the TikTok era?

More

Wim Wenders takes a 3D journey into Peter Zumthor’s quiet monumentality

More

‘All About Corinne’: When French star Isabelle Huppert plays an extra

More

Parfümerie at the Biennale: Zurich’s underground club scene lives on in Venice

More

Fifty years of the Maison d’Ailleurs: a mecca for science fiction fans

More

Many Swiss men desire, but decline, part-time work

More

Switzerland is one of leading countries for remote work

More

Inequality in intern pay is distorting the Swiss job market

More

We asked an AI about the future – its answer might scare you

More

How artificial intelligence is shaping the Swiss job market

More

Swiss birth rate hits all-time low as new challenge looms

More

KPMG report contained AI hallucinations on benefits of . . . AI

More

Will AI secure or shake Swiss prosperity?

More

Why unemployment in Switzerland is increasing more than elsewhere in Europe

More

How a conference in Lausanne changed the Protestant faith

More

Is AI for sign language promising or futile?

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