Switzerland Today
Greetings from Zurich!
Parts of southern Switzerland are mopping up the damage and repairing infrastructure that was hit by a second weekend of violent storms. But the communities that bore the brunt of the damage are not alone. Swiss people all over the country are expressing support and solidarity for their compatriots who were unfortunate enough to be in the path of the storms.
More details can be found in our round-up of the daily news.
In the news: Swiss solidarity for storm victims, fewer smokers and disappointed pop fans who are definitely not in the pink.
- Swiss Solidarity, the charitable fundraising arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, has launched an appeal for funds to support storm victims from around the country.
- A recent survey found that 24% of the population aged over-15 still smoked in Switzerland in 2022 – which is 3% less than in 2017.
- The price of some common medicines, such as Ibuprofen, will rise sharply in Switzerland as a new pricing system comes into force.
- Pop star Pink has cancelled a concert in Bern, which is part of the ‘Summer Carnival’ tour, after falling ill.
- Environmental NGO Greenpeace has called for 25 more long-distance train connections from Geneva and 15 from Zurich to better connect major European cities.
- The average life expectancy of Swiss women reached a record 85.5 years in 2023, and 82.2 years for men, according to research from the University of Lausanne.
- Zurich director Peter Luisi has been forced to cancel the London premiere of his film The Last Screenwriter following complaints it was written by artificial intelligence.
Heavy Metal meets God
A festival of heavy metal music, populated by fans who love the devil’s horns hand signal, is not the most obvious venue for pastors and an Evangelical Reformed Church chapel.
Swiss public broadcaster SRF brings us a portrait of ‘Metalchurch’ – a team of pastors that provide spiritual care at events like the open-air Greenfield Festival.
The pastors blend in among the 84,000 metalheads by wearing leather jackets and their hair long.
Their temporary chapel sits among tattoo parlours, food and clothing stands and a condom-dispensing service.
“We talk about God and the world. People can tell us their worries, say prayers – just about anything they feel like,” says pastor Elia.
Simon Hug set up Metalheads 12 years’ ago and sees the Christian Church and heavy metal as a perfectly natural fit.
“You have to value people even in this setting and give them God’s love,” he said.
If people are interested, we bring God into the conversation. But we don’t set out to convince anyone. It is more of an open encounter.”
God moves in mysterious – and sometimes loud – ways.
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