Tama Vakeesan was bo in Switzerland – to Tamil parents from Sri Lanka. She meets up with stand-up comedian, Sven Ivanic, who is Croatian, Serbian and "100 % Swiss". They explore the prejudices against Balkan boys in Switzerland, and Sven defends his right to wear tracksuit bottoms. (SRF Kulturplatz/...

Should the railways make wider doors? (KEYSTONE/MARKUS LAENG) “Let the train take the strain,” says an old British Rail slogan. But this is starting to take on a new meaning as rail systems around the world come under more and more stress. Swiss rail, despite its good reputation, is no exception. Ra...

The Pension Reform 2020 package would align the retirement ages of women and men at 65 years by 2021. (william87/123RF) The increase in the retirement age for women from 64 to 65 is one of the most controversial issues in the overhaul of the Swiss old age security system, which is due to be put to a...

Cabinet candidates Pierre Maudet (left) and Ignazio Cassis have sparked a lively debate in Switzerland on the compatibility of such a position with dual citizenship. (Keystone) Candidates for the Swiss cabinet and elected officials with dual nationality are in the cross-hairs of the Swiss People's P...

What would Switzerland be without its stu ing mountains? In this episode Diccon Bewes gives a brief introduction to the Swiss Alps. (Diccon Bewes for swissinfo.ch) subscription form Form for signing up for free newsletter. Sign up for our free newsletter and get the top stories delivered to your inb...

A picture for the history books: UN Secretary General Kofi A an (middle) shakes hands on September 10, 2002 with the then Swiss president Kaspar Villiger (left) and foreign minister Joseph Deiss. (Keystone) Until September 10, 2002, what did Switzerland have in common with the Vatican and East Timor...

Often people who decide to commit suicide see no other alte ative. A kind word or just listening can often help them to change their mind (Keystone) The suicide rate in Switzerland, once one of the highest in the world, has fallen in the past 20 years. To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, a look at...

The Iconclastic Riot of 1587 from a collection by Joha Jakob Wick (1522-1588). (Joha Jakob Wick, Bildersturm von 1587, Mischtechnik ca. 22x33 cm, Zürich Zentralbibliothek) Hans Feer was carrying a heavy load on his cart through the city of Zurich on May 9, 1587. One chest weighed almost 300 kilogram...

On September 24, Swiss voters will decide on a reform of the country's old age and disability pension scheme - it is the 15th vote on the issue in nearly nine decades. So far only two reform proposals won a majority at the ballot box (Keystone) Swiss voters will have the final say later this month o...

The initiative to abolish the license fee should spark lively debate in Parliament. (Keystone) Throughout the autumn session, which began Monday, Swiss parliamentarians will vote on no less than six Popular initiatives. The subjects are varied, from the protection of ho ed cows to the abolishing of ...

The three-to e marble sarcophagus that dates from the second century AD is carved with detailed images of the 12 Labours of Hercules (Ministère public genevois) Seven years after it was discovered in a Geneva free port, a rare Roman Empire-era sarcophagus carved with the 12 Labours of Hercules is re...

The Foundation was designed over a period of several years by different architects. (Keystone) Rousseau, Hesse, Highsmith, Ma – fabled, yes, but did any of them ever write a book in a treehouse? A new centre for literature is offering global writers the opportunity to do just this. Arriving in the s...

While expats considered Switzerland’s leisure options, such as Zurich’s techno parade, to be average, they appreciated the country’s security and stability (Keystone) In expat heaven, safety levels are Swiss, leisure options are South African, teachers are Fi ish and neighbours are Mexican. In expat...

Expo 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan, hasn’t had much European media exposure, but Switzerland and its neighbours are there with eye-catching pavilions. Scenes from Expo 2017 Astana Embed code Copy and paste the embed code above. The Kazakh capital was chosen to host Expo 2017exte al link, and the site o...

Tama Vakeesan was bo in Switzerland – to Tamil parents from Sri Lanka. Max Urban, a rapper, was also bo here, but to African parents. Because he is Afro-Swiss, he knows about Swiss politics and traditions, but also knows about the latest trends, hairstyles and dance moves that come out of Africa. (S...

The piggybanks are full, but will the multi-millions benefit Switzerland? (Keystone) Around a quarter of the $1.5 billion (CHF1.45 billion) raised by cryptocurrency crowdfunding ventures this year has found its way to Swiss foundations. Many people on social media cha els are crying foul, but is the...

Who is "Swiss" enough for the soon vacant seat on the cabinet? From left to right Pierre Maudet, who also holds a French passport, Ignazio Cassis, who plans to renounce his Italian one, and Isabelle Moret (Keystone) Political scientist Daniel Wa er considers the controversy over whether you can have...

The first-ever Zurich Design Bie ale is underway in Switzerland's largest city under the motto "Hello Future". It features the design of tomorrow, from gardens made of silk patte s to bird-shaped drones. Silk Memory Garden (Keystone) With his work "Silk Memory Garden", artist François Chalet calls o...

Democracy is a bit like a puzzle, with many different people holding a piece. People trying to solve the puzzle have to discuss ideas and vote. If citizens don't fulfil certain criteria, the puzzle doesn't fit together very well. Civic education plays a crucial part in democracy: it prepares people ...

This content was published on September 9, 2017 9:00 AMSep 9, 2017 - 09:00Certain buildings embody power – monumental in stature, luxurious in design and found in prime locations. Dozens of official buildings are opening their doors to the Swiss public this weekend as part of the European Heritage D...