Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday
Robots teaching English to toddlers in Geneva and will Switzerland make military service mandatory for women? All this and more in our morning roundup.
Covid recovery certificates adapted to EU rules
The Federal Council decided on Wednesday that Covid recovery certificates can be issued on the basis of a positive rapid antigen test or a laboratory-based immunological analysis. Because of new rules in the EU, these certificates will be recognised internationally.
They can be issued retroactively for positive test results from October 2nd, 2021.
“Such certificates were already issued in Switzerland between January 24th and February 16th, 2022”, the Federal Council said.
However, “because no similar rules existed at EU level at the time, they were only valid in Switzerland. Certificates already issued on this basis must be applied for again and re-issued for international compatibility”.
The new ruling will enter into force on May 2nd, 2022.
Swiss parliamentarians visit Ukraine
After UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen went to Ukraine recently, it is now the turn of Swiss elected officials to visit the war-torn country.
Four MPs arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday at the invitation of the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanschuk, who said the delegation’s visit “is more than a sign of solidarity".
"They thanked us and said they very much appreciated that Switzerland adopted European sanctions", according to one MP, Roger Nordmann, who added that it was "very important for Ukrainians that we came there".
READ MORE: Switzerland brands war in Ukraine ‘devastating madness
Will Switzerland introduce obligatory military service for women?
An inter-party committee launched a popular initiative on Wednesday calling for an introduction of compulsory military or civil protection service for women.
Committee members say any person of Swiss nationality should serve in the military or a similar service recognised by law, such as civil protection, for instance.
The committee has until October 26th, 2023 to collect 100,000 signatures needed to bring this issue to the ballot box.
If the measure is approved at a future referendum, Switzerland would become the third country in the world, after Israel and Norway, to make military service compulsory for both sexes.
READ MORE: Women in Swiss military can finally wear women’s underwear
Geneva robots teach English to toddlers
At some Geneva schools, young children are following imaginative language courses, allowing them not only to learn English, but also the basics of digitalisation.
Toy-sized robots, named Emys, engage and interact with children — in English of course — but it is their (human) teacher who chooses activities, like story-time, for example, and ensures that robots function correctly.
"It's like a lesson assistant who helps me manage the differences in levels to encourage the less able to participate and show the students how to learn independently", the teacher, Katarzyna Butty, told Tribune de Genève.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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Covid recovery certificates adapted to EU rules
The Federal Council decided on Wednesday that Covid recovery certificates can be issued on the basis of a positive rapid antigen test or a laboratory-based immunological analysis. Because of new rules in the EU, these certificates will be recognised internationally.
They can be issued retroactively for positive test results from October 2nd, 2021.
“Such certificates were already issued in Switzerland between January 24th and February 16th, 2022”, the Federal Council said.
However, “because no similar rules existed at EU level at the time, they were only valid in Switzerland. Certificates already issued on this basis must be applied for again and re-issued for international compatibility”.
The new ruling will enter into force on May 2nd, 2022.
Swiss parliamentarians visit Ukraine
After UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen went to Ukraine recently, it is now the turn of Swiss elected officials to visit the war-torn country.
Four MPs arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday at the invitation of the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, Ruslan Stefanschuk, who said the delegation’s visit “is more than a sign of solidarity".
"They thanked us and said they very much appreciated that Switzerland adopted European sanctions", according to one MP, Roger Nordmann, who added that it was "very important for Ukrainians that we came there".
READ MORE: Switzerland brands war in Ukraine ‘devastating madness
Will Switzerland introduce obligatory military service for women?
An inter-party committee launched a popular initiative on Wednesday calling for an introduction of compulsory military or civil protection service for women.
Committee members say any person of Swiss nationality should serve in the military or a similar service recognised by law, such as civil protection, for instance.
The committee has until October 26th, 2023 to collect 100,000 signatures needed to bring this issue to the ballot box.
If the measure is approved at a future referendum, Switzerland would become the third country in the world, after Israel and Norway, to make military service compulsory for both sexes.
READ MORE: Women in Swiss military can finally wear women’s underwear
Geneva robots teach English to toddlers
At some Geneva schools, young children are following imaginative language courses, allowing them not only to learn English, but also the basics of digitalisation.
Toy-sized robots, named Emys, engage and interact with children — in English of course — but it is their (human) teacher who chooses activities, like story-time, for example, and ensures that robots function correctly.
"It's like a lesson assistant who helps me manage the differences in levels to encourage the less able to participate and show the students how to learn independently", the teacher, Katarzyna Butty, told Tribune de Genève.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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