Amherd to the Swiss Abroad on August 1: ‘You shape the image of Switzerland’

National Day address from the President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd to the Swiss diaspora around the world. In an increasingly polarised world, we need people who build bridges, says Viola Amherd, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, in a video message addressed to the 800,000 Swiss Abroad on Switzerland’s National Day. Here is the text of the speech translated from German: Dear Swiss citizens abroad, Behind me you can see several mountains: the Matterhorn, the Chasseral, the Säntis, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. I hope that this panorama brings a sense of home to your screen. Just as these mountains shape our landscape, you, dear fellow citizens, shape the image of Switzerland around the world. While we may refer to Swiss citizens abroad as the 'fifth Switzerland', the truth is that there are no such categories. Switzerland is a nation based on the will of its people and our ties do not stop at any border. This is particularly evident on August 1. Even ...