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Restored films reveal Switzerland’s past

This content was published on Jan 2, 2003 The DVD, entitled “Es war einmal… die Schweiz” (“Once upon a time… in Switzerland”), contains 156 minutes of film from 1896-1934. “These were the first films ever shot in Switzerland and the very first ones made by the Lumière brothers,” Hervé Dumont, director of the Lausanne-based Swiss National Film Archive told swissinfo. “The films have…

No ordinary village

This content was published on Jan 2, 2003 But what makes it different is that its 84-strong community is entirely made up of mentally handicapped people. This unique project based at Bernex in the Genevan countryside, aims to promote the independence of the mentally handicapped by giving them jobs and encouraging them to live on their own. The village has been constructed around…

Serono concentrates minds

This content was published on Jan 1, 2003 The decision is a welcome tonic following Novartis’s move last year to concentrate its research efforts in the US. Serono, Europe’s leading biotechnology company and the third largest in the world, has set aside SFr500 million ($332 million) to develop the new complex. Project “Horizon Serono” will involve all the company’s research staff – currently…

Sperm banks face donor shortage

This content was published on Dec 30, 2002 Donor numbers dipped following a new law which ruled out donor anonymity. The law was introduced on January 1, 2001, following an amendment to the Swiss constitution in 1992. The new legislation brought Switzerland into line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which states that all children have the right…

Switzerland seen as top test market for Europe

This content was published on Dec 30, 2002 In its latest survey of export markets, the US department of trade rates Switzerland above most of its neighbours as a place to do business. The US department of trade’s Country Commercial Guide (CCG) describes Switzerland as “an excellent test market for businesses hoping to introduce new products to Europe”. It cites the country’s highly…

More foreigners move into Swiss boardrooms

This content was published on Dec 30, 2002 Critics say Anglo-Saxons in particular have changed the culture at Swiss firms leading to more uncertainty and discontent among employees. Foreign bosses are nothing new to Switzerland – indeed Nestlé and Roche are headed by Austrians Peter Brabeck and Franz Hümer. But the number of top executives without a Swiss passport has increased markedly this…

Art market weathers financial storm

This content was published on Dec 29, 2002 Influenced by global economic and geopolitical insecurity, financiers have been looking to invest in the more stable art market. The worldwide art market is still relatively small compared to its financial counterpart, with an estimated value of €26 billion (SFr37.8 billion), according to the European Fine Art Foundation. Switzerland’s art market, with sales of €625…

WWF Switzerland fights for Europe’s rare species

This content was published on Dec 29, 2002 WWF Switzerland says the country is lagging behind its neighbours in its obligations to the international Bern Convention for the conservation of biodiversity. To prevent Switzerland becoming an “island of inactivity”, WWF has identified 108 sites it wants designated areas of special conservation interest. If approved by the authorities, these areas will form part of…

Gretag sacks 400 on Christmas Eve

This content was published on Dec 28, 2002 Once a stock market favourite, Gretag last week filed for insolvency after falling victim to the digital revolution. Patrick Jung, the Gretag chief, issued severance notices taking effect from December 24, that were delivered on Friday. The company’s board president, Felix Bagdasarjanz, said the decision to sack staff on the 24th had been taken by…

Year of Mountains comes to a close

This content was published on Dec 28, 2002 As a guardian of one of the world’s great mountainous regions, Switzerland had much at stake during the year. For many Swiss, it was an opportunity to promote the Swiss Alps as a place of tourism and recreation. But the Year of Mountains was also a chance to get serious about protecting alpine environments, as…

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