The Switzers – the 193 nationalities of Switzerland

Previous Next

Ciro, Bolivia. "Deep down, people from the Andes and the Swiss are the same: both are mountain dwellers." SWITZERS

Sofia, Sweden. "Whenever I'm packing to fly to Sweden, I say 'I'm going home'. Five weeks later, when I'm packing for Switzerland, I say 'I'm going home' again." SWITZERS

Haadji, Guinea. "Every encounter is an opportunity." SWITZERS

Alexandra, Estonia. "Maybe there are bad people here too, but I've never met any." SWITZERS

Tabiso, South Africa Reiner Ruonder

Jassim, Kuwait. "Respect for old people - I've kept that from my culture." Reiner Roduner

Ida, Zimbabwe. "The Swiss have watches but no time." SWITZERS

Remko, The Netherlands. "A good dose of Dutch directness would do the Swiss good." SWITZERS

Meng-Lin, Taiwan. "How we treat strangers reflects how we accept the stranger in ourselves." SWITZERS

Sharif, Bangladesh. "In some countries you meet people who seem to have been your friend for ten years. In Switzerland, you become friends with someone after knowing them for ten years." SWITZERS

Maria Soledad, Uruguay. "I'd been here for two months and then I heard an alphorn - and I had to cry! After that, Switzerland was in my heart." Reiner Roduner

Philip, Belize. "I've never regretted leaving my island, the sun, painting on the beach. Back then I was there, now I am here." Reiner Ruonder

Dey, Mexico. "During my first years here I cried a lot. But the safety and freedom I have here can't be bought anywhere else." SWITZERS

Dianelys, Dominican Republic. "The Swiss know how to work - people in the Caribbean know how to live." SWITZERS

Frischta, Afghanistan. "More and more humans, less and less humanity." SWITZERS

Dal Bahadur, Nepal. "Law rules here." SWITZERS

Emine, Mauritania. "The chocolate and women's rights - I'd love to export those to Mauritania." SWITZERS

Margaret, Malaysia. "At first I found everything here too slow. But then I realised that this tempo gave me time for self-reflection." Reiner Ruonder

Mohammed, Oman. "I've travelled around half the world but found no other country where four languages were spoken yet the people could understand each other." SWITZERS

Sira, Georgia. "Dear Swiss, you don't need a degree to spontaneously talk to a stranger." SWITZERS

Nicolas, Trinidad and Tobago. "You have no idea how lucky you are to live in such a beautiful and safe country." SWITZERS

• Picture 1
• Picture 2
• Picture 3
• Picture 4
• Picture 5
• Picture 6
• Picture 7
• Picture 8
• Picture 9
• Picture 10
• Picture 11
• Picture 12
• Picture 13
• Picture 14
• Picture 15
• Picture 16
• Picture 17
• Picture 18
• Picture 19
• Picture 20
• Picture 21

Switzerland has 8.3 million inhabitants, a quarter of whom are migrants from 193 countries. One person from each appears in a new photo book, The Switzers, by photographers Reiner Roduner and Roland Schmid.

For Roduner, who initiated the three-year project, it all began with a photo he took of an Ethiopian farmer while travelling for work. It was the first time he had managed to take such an intimate and extraordinary portrait. The man’s eyes told his entire life story.

Roduner later read that Switzerland was home to people from practically every country in the world. The idea was born: find an interesting person from every nation and take their portrait. Get so close to them that their eyes reflect their personal history.

All of these people make up an important part of Switzerland’s identity. Identity is in constant flux and is defined by the people who make up a society. This book reflects what they have to say about their new home.

(Text: from the foreword to the book, Images: Reiner Roduner, Roland Schmid)