Cultural Values (By Kurumi)

 

When asked about the cultural values the Swiss people hold through their mentalities, H.E. Mr. Bucher revealed, “It is true that we always aim for an egalitarian society. We never had an aristocracy or kings. We believe that every human should be valued equally and [individual rights] are not depended on family and social status,” he began, “You should do the best you can do in what nature has given to you. If there is someone who is not necessarily good in mathematics, but if he is a good carpenter, society should cherish that and support his ability in what he can do. Respect depends on performance.”

Food in Switzerland (By Kurumi)

 

Switzerland is most widely acknowledged for its chocolates and Swiss cheese, but Switzerland was not only about its appetizing cuisine. H.E. Mr. Bucher mentioned that it was not only about having good food, but the role in which food plays in human connection and relationship is what makes it so special. Cheese fondue could be an example. According to H.E. Mr. Bucher, cheese fondue plays an “integrating role”. “Through sharing our meal, we can create a warm atmosphere to make close human contact. Food is not only for nutrition [intake], but mealtime is a moment where humans can communicate and that is the best you can ever have,” he stated. This could be compared to the Japanese nabe (cooking pot), where family members or friends gather in one table to share their meal. By cooking meat and vegetables from one pot, the eating experience would feel more intimate and heartwarming. Food may be a universal method of uniting people.

Cultural Exchanges Taking Place (By Kurumi)

 

H.E. Mr. Bucher stated that despite the “incredible distance”, he was taken aback by the “tensed cultural exchange” that have been taking place between Switzerland and Japan. In 2014, the Swiss Embassy celebrated their 150th year of diplomatic relations with Japan. He spoke that in this year, the cultural exchange was particularly “rich”. There were around 250 events related to Switzerland hosted in Japan and similarly, Japan-related events in Switzerland. Events included art exhibitions, dance, and any form of performances. “Swiss artists love to visit Japan because they know of the amount of interest Japanese people have on foreign culture. There is a cultural understanding and the artists feel that. This could be seen through how the Japanese audience interact with the paintings and they are always enthusiastic about these experiences,” H.E. Mr. Bucher commented.

Comparing the Two Nations (By Kurumi)

 

H.E. Mr. Bucher commented that Switzerland and Japan has a potential of establishing “wonderful relations” and this may not be too difficult to achieve, as we are “economically and culturally close”. According to H.E. Mr. Bucher, there are approximately 7,000 Japanese inhabitants in Switzerland and there are even mixed marriages between people from the two countries. He added that statistics show marriages between a Swiss and a Japanese result in a much lower percentage of divorce compared to a marriage between two people from Switzerland. This shows stability and the capability of people from Switzerland and Japan getting along together. The reason behind this could be due to how similar Swiss and Japanese people could be.

H.E. Mr. Bucher listed that politeness and respectfulness are two similarities between the two nations. “We are both accurate with our work and we both have discipline and punctuality. We are modest with our human relationships and make approaches to initiate a harmonious relationship,” he shared. Furthermore, he views that both countries favor “integration” and that we are “conscious-driven”.