Federal President Viola Amherd attended the Federal Festival of Traditional Costumes in Zurich on Sunday. She was not wearing a traditional Valais costume, but a pink suit.
With her professional clothing, she cannot hold her own here, the Valaisanne admitted in a brief speech. His predecessor Alain Berset had the task easier last summer in Zurich. All he had to do was put a feather boa around his neck to be dressed for the occasion, she noted, alluding to Alain Berset’s appearance at the Street Parade.
The Traditional Costume Festival requires a much greater effort. “I admire your costumes even more,” said Ms. Amherd. Traditional costumes are a celebration of diversity. At a time when polarization and score-settling reign, it is all the more important to come together to organize such an event, he added.
The president of the city of Zurich, Corine Mauch, wore the traditional Bernese costume of her great-great-great-grandmother for the occasion.
Around 100,000 visitors
Representatives of the governments of 16 cantons as well as numerous members of Parliament were invited to the official ceremony on Sunday. The colorful procession which passed through the city center was the highlight of the day. “For once, a Street Parade without thunderous bass,” noted Ms. Mauch.
Around 100,000 visitors attended the three-day festival in Zurich. The event was “joyful and peaceful,” said Max Binder, chairman of the organising committee and a former Zurich SVP national councillor. There were no incidents. The police mainly posed for selfies with the people in traditional costume, he noted.
After 1939 and 1974, Zurich hosted the Federal Festival of Traditional Costumes for the third time. It takes place every twelve years.
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