PHL Embassy in Berne Hoists PHL Flag, Lays Wreath for Dr. Jose Rizal at Rizal Park in Wassen, Switzerland

Philippine and Swiss flag raising ceremony in Wassen

28 June 2017 BERNE — Philippine Ambassador to Berne Joselito Jimeno and City of Wassen Mayor Kristin Schnider led the Philippine and Swiss flag hoisting ceremony in Canton Uri, where the only Rizal Park in Switzerland can be found. Members of the Filipino Community and personnel of the Philippine Embassy sang the national anthem while the Philippine flag was being raised.

Ambassador Jimeno and Mayor Schnider also laid a wreath on the bust of Dr. Jose Rizal. The ambassador recalled the bond between Dr. Rizal and four cities of Switzerland, namely: Bern, Geneva, Schaffhausen and Wassen. He noted how impressed Dr. Rizal was with Swiss history, and how this inspired the national hero’s ideological thinking.

City of Wassen Mayor Schnider acknowledged that Wassen has a special place in the hearts of Filipinos in Switzerland. She added that her community’s relations with the Philippines is “made of stone”, noting that the granite used for Dr. Rizal’s monument in Manila was from the Rieswald quarry in Wassen.

City of Wassen and Canton of Uri officials including Mr. Iwan Stampfli-Püntener, Secretary to the Council; Mr. Marcel Schmutz, Councillor in Charge of Finances; Mr. Heinz Baumann, Manager of the Open-Air Museum; and Mr. Josef Schuler, Head of the Culture Department, Cantonal Government of Uri also joined the event.

For more information, visit www.bernepe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHembassyBerne. END

 Honorable Mayor Schnider and Ambassador Jimeno during the wreath-laying ceremony