elected! Swiss Abroad who are not affiliated to any Swiss association should also be able to get elected. GÉRALD BOREL, FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL Regarding political participation in general, it is absurd that Switzerland is still unable to make e-voting available to all expatriates. And I mean everyone – including those who live in remote corners of the world or in countries with unreliable postal services. The frequently cited “security concerns” no longer hold water given the technology at our disposal. “Fifth Switzerland” voting behaviour ALEJANDRO LEMP PAVEZ, SANTIAGO, CHILE The “Swiss Review” article on expatriate voting behaviour in the last 36 popular votes was an outstanding analysis of how much political influence we as voters abroad actually have. revue.link/abstimmen Benches – a ubiquitous piece of Swiss outdoor furniture RUDOLF MEGERT, LEIPZIG, GERMANY The humble (park) bench is the height of culture! Places without benches are not quite as inviting. Being able to sit on a bench in peace on my own – and enjoy nature – is my idea of bliss. Visit the online edition of “Swiss Review” at www.revue.ch. Read the latest comments on our articles and join the conversation yourself. You can also share your opinions on the community discussion forum of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA). Link to the SwissCommunity discussion forum: members.swisscommunity.org/forum Agnes Hirschi receives the Hungarian Order of Merit The May edition of “Swiss Review” contained an article about Agnes Hirschi from Berne. On 30 October 2023, Hirschi was awarded the Order of Merit of the Kingdom of Hungary at the behest of the Hungarian president, Katalin Novák. Agnes Hirschi escaped the Holocaust in Hungary as a child – thanks to Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz, who later became her stepfather. Since retiring 20 years ago, she has made it her vocation to tell others about what Lutz did in saving her and thousands of others from the Holocaust. Hungary has now honoured her in recognition of her work. For more information, visit www.carl-lutz.com. (MUL) More democracy for the “Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland” MAYA NERINI, EVIAN, FRANCE The majority of Swiss Abroad have done fairly well in life, I would say, hence they deserve to be elected into the Council of the Swiss Abroad and have their say as members of the “Parliament of the Fifth Switzerland”. Unfortunately, delegate positions have only ever gone to people who belong to Swiss associations. Many of these delegates are retired and blocking the way for others. You hear of people who have been in the Council for 30 years and keep getting Discussion: an order of merit – and calls for more democracy We recently wrote about a Holocaust survivor who has devoted her life to honouring the memory of her rescuer. This woman has now been awarded one of the highest honours in Hungary. The latest articles in our magazine have also prompted many of you to write in from around the world. The print edition of “Swiss Review” remains reliant on donations Now for the hard truth: the print edition of “Swiss Review”, particularly appreciated by many readers in the “Fifth Switzerland”, will continue to rely on monetary donations in 2024. The rise in energy and raw material prices has hit us hard financially – and mailing costs are set to increase sharply next year too. This is a huge challenge for a magazine available to read for free. Not only do you, our readers, want to read the magazine, you also want a tangible and physical reminder of Switzerland to hold in your hands. And we want to be able to offer you this. We would, therefore, be extremely grateful if you were able to pay a voluntary subscription to help fund the print edition of “Swiss Review” in 2024. All donations to the magazine are a great source of motivation for us. Voluntary subscriptions from our readers are, therefore, an important and much-appreciated way to ensure the print edition’s long-term survival. We hope you agree that this latest magazine illustrates our unwavering commitment to the hard-copy format, as we believe that we have put together another contentpacked, stimulating and highly readable “Swiss Review”. And we would really like to continue doing this in future - for you, our readers. MARC LETTAU, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF How to contact “Swiss Review”: Email revue@swisscommunity.org; Phone +41 31 356 61 10 The bank details for the transfer of voluntary subscriptions are as follows (please note that cheques cannot be cashed): IBAN: CH97 0079 0016 1294 4609 8 Berner Kantonalbank, Bundesplatz 8, CH-3011 Bern BIC/SWIFT: KBBECH22 Beneficiary: BEKB Bern, Account 16.129.446.0.98, Organisation of the Swiss Abroad, FAO Mr A. Kiskery, Alpenstrasse 26, CH-3006 Bern Reference: Support Swiss Review Payments by PayPal: revue.link/support SwissCommunity Agnes Hirschi Photo: Danielle Liniger 31 Swiss Review / December 2023 / No.6
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