[Voices of Japanese Parents Abroad_Switzerland Vol.1] A Multicultural Society: Embracing Differences and Living Together

We spoke to Ai (not her real name), who is raising four children in Switzerland, about her experiences raising children there. (This is the first of a six-part series.)

"Living in diversity"is an everyday occurrence.

―You've been living in Switzerland for quite some time now, haven't you? Could you tell us about your life there now?

Yes, I've been living in Switzerland for 14 years now. I'm raising four children here, and in this country, "living in diversity" is truly a part of everyday life.

In the area where we live, there are people of many different nationalities and cultural backgrounds, and they all interact very naturally. My family is a perfect example of this; my husband is Swiss but also holds American citizenship, my brother-in-law is Brazilian, and my brother-in-law is married to a Frenchman. My cousins ​​have diverse skin tones and speak different languages, so it's like "a whole world in one family."

We currently live in an apartment complex with more than 10 buildings, and my brothers-in-law's families and my in-laws also live on the same grounds, so it's like an "extended family community." Cousins ​​play together happily, and grandmother can come over anytime, so it's truly an ideal environment for raising children.

Also, there's a general atmosphere of "tolerance" in Switzerland. For example, if a child is noisy in a supermarket, an elderly person will kindly say, "It's okay." There is a culture of tolerance and warm support for children even in public places.

*The photo above is for illustrative purposes only.

"Rather than looking for commonalities, it's important to get used to our differences"

―It sounds like you're living in a wonderful environment. Have your own ways of thinking changed while "living amidst diversity"?

Switzerland is a country with a large immigrant population. It has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. In urban areas, the languages ​​you hear and the faces you see are truly international. You hardly ever think about "what country your neighbors are from." That kind of culture is deeply rooted, and it's very comfortable. Living in

this country, I myself have come to think that "it's more important to get used to differences than to look for common ground." The feeling that it's natural to be different. That was a very big lesson for me. In Japan

, you're expected to be in harmony with those around you and "read the atmosphere," but in Switzerland, children are taught that "it's okay to be different" and "it's okay to have different opinions." When I see that, I find it reassuring, and I'm a little envious.

On the other hand, I think the conservative aspects of the Swiss national character remain strong.

Swiss cityscape (provided by Ai-san)

There are obligations that must be observed in order to be a part of the local community

—What are some of the conservative aspects of Switzerland?

I think that while acknowledging differences with others, those living in Switzerland are strongly expected to make an effort to integrate into Swiss society. For example, separating garbage, not making loud noises after 10 pm, etc. There are many immigrants, but not everything can be dismissed with the word "diversity," and there are obligations that must be upheld in order to become a member of the community.

The school consistently sends the message that "everyone should be respected no matter what country they come from."

―I see, that might be the secret to building a stable society while accepting many immigrants. Are there any conflicts or challenges unique to a multicultural society?

Of course there are. For example, in families from the former Yugoslavia, the history of conflict in the parents' generation can have an impact, and sometimes you hear things like, "You can't play with kids from this country."

But schools are very sensitive to the reproduction of such discrimination and constantly send the message that "everyone should be respected, no matter what country they come from."

Perhaps because of that, you don't really feel much discrimination based on nationality in urban areas. Because Switzerland has always been a neutral country and places great importance on neutrality, it is very sensitive to internal conflicts caused by immigrants and I think they do things to prevent such things from happening. For example, newspapers don't even display the nationality of the perpetrator of a crime.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there seemed to be a lot of discrimination against people of Asian descent in other European countries, but at least around me, there was absolutely nothing like that.

I think Swiss society is built on a delicate balance of tolerance, neutrality, and discipline.

[Overseas Parenting Column - Switzerland]
Vol. 1 A diverse international society - accepting differences and living together
Vol. 2 Pregnancy and childbirth experiences - rational and warm care supporting "postpartum care at home"
Vol. 3 Education that fosters "independence," "self-assertion," and "creativity"
Vol. 4 Living in a multicultural and natural environment
Vol. 5 Establishing clear "family rules"
Vol. 6 Re-examining "work" in daily life

Family Dialogue・Column