While Christmas may be considered an over-commercialized affair, the Swiss hold true to their roots. Traditional Swiss Christmas typically lasts from the beginning of Advent (30 November 2014) to the end of Epiphany (6 January 2015). While each Swiss home may give the tradition a slight twist, some customs have remained intact: the excitement of […]
Gurlitt’s Nazi art legacy accepted by Bern
Switzerland’s oldest art museum, the Kunstmuseum in Bern, will be accepting a collection of modernist artworks bequeathed by Cornelius Gurlitt, the son of a Nazi-era art dealer. The masterpieces, among them paintings and drawings by Picasso, Chagall and Monet, were discovered in Gurlitt’s home a couple of years ago, according to The Guardian. Following an […]
HIV infections down in Geneva
The number of people living with HIV in Geneva has remained stable this year, according to new statistics released by the Department of Health. One in 100 people in Geneva are living with the virus – more than 4,000 people – and during the first 10 months of this year, 46 people were diagnosed. However, […]
Fighting cat and dog eaters
Swiss animal rights activists recently handed a petition to members of parliament demanding a ban on eating cats and dogs, a custom still practised by hundreds of thousands of Swiss people. According to the activist group, up to three per cent of Swiss secretly eat the animals, especially in the regions of Lucerne, Appenzell, Jura […]
1 hour faster to Milan
The Gotthard Base Tunnel running under the Swiss Alps is one step closer to completion: all 290 km of track for the new flat rail link are now laid. The 57-km tunnel, which is the central component of the CHF 9.74 billion project, will surpass the current world record for the longest tunnel held by […]
Geneva: Assisted suicide central?
Geneva will become the new home for the World Federation of Right to Die Societies, which voted in favour of leaving New York in late October. According to GenevaLunch.com, the move, which is likely to take place in 2015, is associated to possible changes in the NGOs tax status in the US. The organisation has […]
CERN names new director general
Italian physicist Fabiola Gianotti has been named director general of the CERN particle physics research centre. She is the first woman nominated and chosen to head a leading global scientific institution. With a doctorate from the University of Milan, Gianotti has worked as a CERN researcher since 1987. Once she receives formal approval from the […]
Feast Away from Home: Where to go for Thanksgiving dinner
Every year in late November, Americans come together with family and friends to reflect, be thankful and help those in need, all while sharing a sizable meal composed of roast turkey, cranberry stuffing, mashed potatoes, string beans and decadent pies. There are few American celebrations that represent the comfort of home and family as whole-heartedly […]
Cancer – No need to be alone!
Fighting a battle against cancer is a heavy burden – a trusim but nevertheless it needs to be said – dealing with the illness while living in a foreign country, estranged from your closest support structure and trying to communicate in a language that is not your own, seems almost beyond manageable. For over 15 […]
Geneva greening initiative takes root
In coming weeks, the city of Geneva will be planting 250 trees as part of a greater “greening” initiative launched in 2012, according to the Tribune de Genève. Pâquis and Eaux-Vives are being targeted, as they have been identified as neighbourhoods in dire need of vegetation. The northern tip of Plainpalais also will receive a […]
