Day of Multilingualism in Bern

16 September 2026

To mark the eighth Day of Multilingualism on 24 September, five videos feature members of parliament from Switzerland’s four language regions. They answer questions about the national languages and multilingualism in Switzerland.

What do people remember most about their first encounter with another national language? What was the first resource they used to learn a foreign language? Which words, phrases or situations have particularly stuck in their minds? And how do you swear in Switzerland’s different languages?

These are some of the questions featured in the five short videos recorded at the Bundeshaus on 24 September. In the lobby, MPs from the four language regions spoke about their personal connection to the national languages. The questions ranged from memories of their school days to informal and surprising aspects of Switzerland’s linguistic reality.

The project aims to highlight Switzerland’s cultural and linguistic diversity through personal experiences. It demonstrates how closely languages are linked to individual experiences, memories and everyday life, thereby also emphasising their emotional dimension. The mini-series combines serious and thoughtful moments with decidedly lighter passages, leaving plenty of room for humour and spontaneity.

(Source and further information: Forum Helveticum)