“It serves as a beautiful testament to the country’s linguistic diversity and unity.” describes Stefan Gairing, our Planner & Coordinator of Array Operations & Maintenance, recalling the speeches made in the four national languages of his native Switzerland, with which, every August 1st, they celebrate the Federal Charter of 1291, the basis of the current Swiss Confederation.
A special date on which each Swiss municipality performs a series of rites at night, ranging from a bonfire to a fireworks display. “One of my fondest memories is the captivating lantern procession, accompanied by thought-provoking speeches.”
If anyone were to visit Switzerland, he recommends attending a Landsgemeinde, where citizens gather in an open-air assembly to vote on local issues: “It is an important part of the Swiss political structure and offers a unique insight into Switzerland’s democratic principles,” Stefan says.
And he wasn’t the only one celebrating. Iván López, our Health, Safety, Security, and Environment Manager, also celebrated the signing of El Salvador’s independence act on September 15.
The same date that is celebrated in all Central American republics, such as Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and that in the Salvadoran case is manifested with schools and military barracks holding parades in all cities, plus a speech by the president of the republic, and a show by the air force.
“As I was a kid and a student, the best thing about this day was that it was a holiday, and also because of the marching practices classes were missed. But a memorable memory was when I was chosen to represent the school as a flag bearer in government events,” says Iván.
El Salvador is a small country and easy to travel around, but for Iván any tourist must visit “the ruins of Joya de Cerén, which is the only place where you can see how the Mayan people lived, as it is a kind of Pompeii preserved by the ashes”.
Among the things that Iván would import to Chile are the “pupusas”, a thick tortilla made of corn dough, as well as coffee and “the joy of the people -they may be bad but they don’t complain-, and the capacity to forgive socially, which does not mean forgetting”, he says.
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Que interesante!! Gracias por compartir y feliz fiesta patria para ustedes !!
Muchas gracias por compartir Stefan e Ivan, felices fiestas! =)