On the occasion of the Foundation Day of the Confederation, August 1, H. E. Mr. Raymund Furrer, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Swiss Confederation to the Republic of Bulgaria,

and his wife, Mrs. Claude Furrer-Choueiri, hosted a reception at the 2020 Event Space, located within the National Palace of Culture. The event was attended by ministers, members of parliament, ambassadors, diplomats, representatives of local authorities, as well as members of the scientific and cultural community, Swiss nationals, and friends of Switzerland.

The Foundation Day of the Confederation - August 1, 1291 - is the day when the Federal Charter was signed, uniting the three alpine cantons of Schwyz, Unterwalden, and Uri in a pact to withstand the growing influence of the Habsburg dynasty ruling neighboring Austria. Over the years, the number of members in the Confederation grew. Today, Switzerland is administratively divided into 26 cantons. August 1 was declared the national holiday of the country through a referendum many years later.

As a symbol of unity, the National Day is celebrated with music and fireworks across all 26 cantons. Swiss flags are flown everywhere, and many Swiss citizens wear costumes in the national colors - red and white.

At the reception, following the anthems of Switzerland and Bulgaria, H. E. Mr. Raymund Furrer addressed his guests with a ceremonial speech.

Guests then enjoyed performances of Swiss folk music and a traditional alpine dish, raclette, prepared on-site. And, of course, no Swiss National Day celebration would be complete without the irresistible Swiss chocolate!

Photos: Facebook page of the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation