Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku International Multiculturalism Centre Azerbaijani Multiculturalism Textbook for Higher Education

7.8. Multiculturalism in Switzerland

The Swiss Confederation, which is considered one of the most developed countries in the world, is a federal republic. It consists of 26 cantons or administrative territories. It borders Germany in the north, France in the west, Italy in the south, and Austria in the east. With an area of 41,277 sq. km, the country has a population of about 8.5 million, which is approximately the same as the population of the Republic of Azerbaijan in terms of numbers (according to estimates for mid-2016).

Switzerland is among the most diverse, unique countries of the world. This small European country has many features considered to be its hallmark.

Known for its chocolate, cheese and very accurate watches, Switzerland has strong mechanical engineering, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. It is also the world’s most important financial and banking centre.

Switzerland is also unique in the political sphere. First of all, it is the oldest federal state in Europe and the world, formed on the basis of historical traditions including territorial and linguistic unity. Although the Constitution has granted each canton the right to withdraw from the Confederation since 1848, no canton has yet exercised that right. Another distinctive feature is the principle of direct democracy. Any citizen of the country can submit any issue to a general vote (referendum) by collecting a total of 100,000 signatures.

Switzerland is also unique in its policy of neutrality. The neutrality of Switzerland was guaranteed by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Since that time, Switzerland has not participated in any war, including the two world wars in the 20th century. However, it is interesting that $3 billion are allocated to the military budget every

year. The country is also home to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), founded in February 1863 in Geneva. It is no coincidence that the flag of Switzerland closely resembles the official flag of the ICRC.

When talking about Switzerland, the first thing that comes to mind is its linguistic and cultural diversity. According to some researchers, multiculturalism was first used as a term in Switzerland in 1957. The country has used this term with reference to its four national languages. Since 1971, the meaning of the term has expanded to include cultural diversity in addition to linguistic and religious diversity.

The role of linguistic factors in Switzerland is so great that the formation of the country is based on the unity of territorial and linguistic factors, rather than geographical ones. Researchers note that the centuries-old success of Swiss multiculturalism is linked to multilingualism, and this success is the result of the coincidence of linguistic and cultural boundaries with territorial borders. Article 4 of the Constitution of the country specifies that four languages (German, French, Italian and Romansh) are the national languages of Switzerland. One of these languages is dominant in each canton. Looking at the culturally and linguistically diverse composition of the cantons, German is the most widely spoken language in Switzerland. German is the official language of 17 Swiss cantons, whereas French is the official language in seven cantons, Italian in two cantons, and Romansh only in one canton.

One of the main features of the Swiss model of multiculturalism is that the country arose from the merger of three great European cultures – German, French and Italian. Each canton lives and acts in accordance with its own culture, history, language and religion. At the same time, every citizen of Switzerland has threefold citizenship

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– municipal, cantonal and federal. Multiculturalism is considered to be one of the national symbols of the Swiss Confederation.

The way of coexistence in Switzerland has not been shaped by a large number of immigrants, as was the case in the United States, Canada and Australia. Switzerland is not a country of immigrants. The historical roots of the polyethnic, multi-confessional society here date back to olden days. The different nations have lived together for centuries. Federalism has united multifaceted Swiss society for hundreds of years. Historically, the territorial-linguistic federalism has been regarded as an important political heritage and value, thus saving Swiss society from division into religious and linguistic communities.

In the Preamble to the Swiss Constitution, the phrase ‘diversity in unity’ clearly expresses the meaning of multiculturalism in the country. As well as constituting the pivot of Swiss federalism, multiculturalism also proves to be supra-constitutional. The paradox is that it maintains the philosophical idea of ‘diversity in unity’, which has existed for centuries, as a legal expression of the real cultural diversity of the country, as well as the principle of constitutionalism and the foundation of federalism.

The unity of statehood and political institutions for all members of the Confederation constitutes the basis for the national unity and solidarity of the people who are diverse in terms of culture, language and religion. The peculiarity of the Swiss model of multiculturalism lies in the further strengthening of this tradition of society through socio-political, legal and cultural institutions and mechanisms on the one hand, and in maintaining common activities aimed at preserving specific identity on the other hand.

In the 20th century Swiss society was radically changed as a result of the wave of student protests, which broke out across Europe in 1968. Especially in recent decades, the number of people who do

not regard themselves as belonging to any particular religion has increased. Today they comprise more than 11 per cent of the total population. On the one hand, religious and spiritual values have become less important for people, and on the other hand, there is an opportunity for more open and broad discussion of existing problems. At present, language is a more important factor than religion for stability in society.

According to the 2012 Federal Census, the religious affiliation of the population is as follows:

Roman Catholic Church	38.2 %
Protestant Reformed Churches	26.9 %
Other Christian Churches	5.7 %
Judaism	0.3 %
Other Churches and Religious Communities	1.3 %
Islamic Religious Communities	4.9 %
Those who claim to have no religious affiliation	21.4 %