Switzerland National Day

03 Aug 2013

Several thousand Swiss people took advantage of open-doors event and saw the inside of the country’s parliament - the Federal Palace in Bern on 1st August, 2013. The place was crowded with long queues of enthusiastic citizens while celebrating Switzerland’s National Day.

May people started their day at 9 A.M. on a Swiss farm with a traditional brunch with almost 400 farm families participating in the event, offering rösti, eggs, bread and cheese. The birthplace of the Swiss Confederation - Rütli meadow in central Switzerland - saw scores of patriots gathering there to mark the event and listen to speeches just as every year. This year for Switzerland’s National Day Celebrations, the organizers have constructed a football pitch on the meadow inviting over 400 football players. Making an analogy from the football pitch, Guest Speaker, Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann, called for a greater team spirit in the country, emphasizing that team work could replace unnecessary rules and open up opportunities. President Ueli Maurer has urged the people to defend their freedom and independence in the face of international pressure through the radio and television broadcast of his speech.

Around 120,000 people are estimated to have watched the fireworks display on the Rhine River. The fireworks were launched from two boats anchored between bridges. Fireworks displays rounded off Switzerland’s National Day Celebrations across the country.