Dear fellow Swiss,

You live abroad somewhere – maybe it was your job, your family situation, love or simply curiosity that led you to settle down elsewhere. I’m almost slightly jealous, because there are times when I’d like to do that too.

I hope you are all well and that you feel comfortable in your new place of residence.

Today, on August 1, there are many things that connect us, the shared history of our country for more than 700 years. We are also connected by shared values: punctuality, reliability, modesty, diligence. These are all values that one associates with Switzerland.

I assume you are also living out these positive Swiss values, wherever you are. It is very important for Switzerland that we have such representatives of our country abroad. It makes us strong, and for that we are extraordinarily grateful.

August 1 is a good opportunity to account for our shared values, to strengthen them. Because they form people’s image of Switzerland.

I wish you all the happiness in your home, that you can still identify with our Swiss values and that on August 1 you also feel ever so slightly homesick for Switzerland. But above all I wish you a lot of happiness on this August 1. All the best, and thank you for representing Switzerland so well.