SwissCommunity A year full of Youth Service offers and events In 2025, the Youth Service of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad is pulling out all the stops to offer enriching experiences in Switzerland as well as online learning opportunities. Our summer camps will give young people aged 15 to 18 the opportunity to connect with their Swiss roots and have an unforgettable time. ■ 5 July – 18 July 2025: Swiss Challenge, throughout Switzerland ■ 19 July – 2 August 2025: sport and leisure camp in Sainte-Croix (canton of Vaud) ■ 2 August – 15 August 2025: sport and leisure camp in Sainte-Croix (canton of Vaud) In addition to our holiday camps in 2025, webinars addressing the issues at stake in upcoming popular votes will also be available throughout the year. These webinars are aimed specifically, but not exclusively, at young Swiss Abroad: ■ 14 January 2025: votes of 9 February 2025 ■ 23 April 2025: votes of 18 May 2025 ■ 2 September 2025: votes of 28 September 2025 ■ 4 November 2025: votes of 30 November 2025 Further information on all Youth Service offers is available at www.swisscommunity.org. Direct link to youth offers: www.revue.link/youthoffers For additional details, please do not hesitate to contact the Youth Service. MARIE BLOCH, OSA YOUTH SERVICE Read it instead of waiting. Getting impatient waiting for your printed copy of “Swiss Review” to arrive? Pick up the magazine on your tablet or smartphone. The app is free of charge and contains no advertising. You can find the app by searching for “Swiss Review” in your App Store. SWISS REVIEW JANUARY 2025 The magazine for the Swiss Abroad No snow – Switzerland’s winter wonderland is melting A newspaper in Huttwil is bucking the decline in local journalism The political climate turns frostier for the Swiss Abroad to deal with a legacy that includes radioactive waste. Only when taxpayers bear the lion’s share of the costs does a nuclear power station become economically viable. We ignore the costs and problems that future generations will inherit in relation to the storage of spent nuclear fuel. Using nuclear power ties up huge amounts of money that are urgently needed for the continued development of renewables. C. THALHAMMER, USA In Switzerland, children are raised in values such as cleaning up after oneself, yet there are still no repositories for nuclear waste. I am an environmental scientist and the fact— not paradigm—is simple. There is no away. We all live on one Earth. There’s only one! We will not foul the nest for future generations simply to create more weapons or line more pockets with money. We have plenty of other tasks to do in cleaning up our messes concerning fossil fuels. RETO DERUNGS, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC There is currently no reason why we should do without nuclear energy. In fact, nuclear power is vital if we want to meet our climate goals. For example, US climate envoy Kerry said at the Dubai climate conference that nuclear energy capacity needs to be tripled if we are to achieve net zero. WOLFGANG REHFUS, TASMAN, NEW ZEALAND Although nuclear power plants generate zero-carbon electricity, they produce huge amounts of radioactive waste. This is the core problem, along with all the legacy issues that it entails (cost, long-term storage, risk, health, etc.). Energy Minister Albert Rösti should know this. He needs to tell the truth. URS ALEX SCHUMACHER, PHILIPPINES How does the Federal Council have the nerve to ignore a referendum? This is a very dangerous development, which parliament has to stop at all costs. It is the people, i.e. the majority of the electorate, who should always have the final say. MARC PETITPIERRE, CHARLES TOWN, USA Substituting radioactivity for lowering fossil-fuel emissions is ridiculous. Radioactive materials from the front-end all the way through to the end is the most dangerous, inefficient, and costly manner to produce power. Remember they sang praises about fission too ... JEAN-MARIE BOSSY, CHARDONNAY, FRANCE Using nuclear energy to generate electricity is not only legitimate – it’s smart and safe. Safe? Yes, as long as we are consistent and build power stations that are secure enough to handle the risks involved and don’t scrimp on construction in the interests of making a quick profit. PETER SCHWERZMANN, PATTAYA, THAILAND Nuclear power stations exist despite the fact that they are uninsurable. Any loss or damage in the event of a serious accident would not be covered. Reactor operators pocket the profits while future generations are left Discussion: The nuclear debate reignites Federal Council wants to pave the way for new nuclear power plants, “Swiss Review” 6/2024 Youth Service of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad Alpenstrasse 26 3006 Berne, Switzerland Phone +41 31 356 61 24 youth@swisscommunity.org www.swisscommunity.org 35 Swiss Review / January 2025 / No.1
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