Likened to a weather forecast crossed with a church hymn, Switzerland’s national anthem could be binned in favor of a new version if campaigners get their way.
Too heavy on God and Alpine vistas, the anthem fails to reflect today’s values and has never been etched into the national psyche, critics say.
“Nobody knows the words! Anyone who tells you they do is a liar. Or else we manage the first few and afterwards we go ‘la, la, la,’” said Pierre Kohler, president of the jury holding an unofficial competition to choose a new anthem.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
Ditching anthems is usually associated with wars and revolutions — think France’s Marseillaise — none of which applies to peaceful, stable Switzerland.
But on Jan. 1, however, organizers kicked off a contest to find a new anthem, open to all and with a first prize of 10,000 Swiss francs (US$11,140). “Personally, I think a national anthem can be changed every 50 or 100 years. It’s not a major problem. On the contrary, it allows people to think,” said Kohler.
The goal is to submit a text to the government by 2016, potentially paving the way for a referendum in this nation of eight million people, renowned for its direct democracy.
“We don’t take issue with the tune, which is quite beautiful,” said Jean-Daniel Gerber, chairman of the Swiss Society for Public Good, the 203-year-old association which masterminded the competition. “The problem is the lyrics. The author had in mind a psalm, not a national anthem,” he said.
(Liberty Times)
被形容成結合天氣預報和教會讚美詩的瑞士現行國歌，很可能會被換掉改成新版，假如推動換國歌的運動人士能夠順利如願的話。
批評者表示，現行國歌內容太偏重上帝和阿爾卑斯山景色，無法反映現代價值，也從未被銘刻在瑞士人的民族心靈中。
舉行新國歌比賽的非官方評審團主席皮耶‧柯勒表示：「根本沒人知道歌詞！那些自稱知道歌詞的人都是騙子。我們只勉強記得前幾句，後面就只好一直『啦啦啦』下去。」
更換國歌通常都與戰爭和革命有關，例如法國的《馬賽曲》，但這並不適用於和平、安定的瑞士。
但一月一日，運動人士展開一項徵求新國歌的比賽，所有人都可參加，首獎是一萬瑞士法郎（一萬一千一百四十美元）。柯勒說：「以我個人而言，國歌可以每五十年或一百年更換一次。這不是個大問題。相反地，這讓大家有機會省思。」
比賽的目標是在二０一六年前提出新國歌歌詞給政府，並為新國歌公投鋪路，人口八百萬的瑞士素以直接民主制度著稱。
「我們對國歌的旋律沒有意見，其實旋律相當優美，」已有兩百零三年歷史的瑞士公益協會主席葛伯說，該協會正是新國歌比賽的幕後策劃者。「問題在於歌詞。作者當時要寫的是一首讚美詩，而不是國歌，」他說。
（自由時報／翻譯：俞智敏）
A: Apart from megahit “KPop Demon Hunters,” what else is worth watching? B: The new shows featuring four top-tier actors – Xiao Zhan, Wang Yibo, Yang Yang and Li Xian — are all popular. A: Yang’s TV drama, “The Immortal Ascension,” is definitely one of the summer sizzlers. Some praise it as the Eastern edition of the glorious “Harry Potter” series. B: Yeah, the costume fantasy drama is about a young man’s journey to immortality. All the magic powers and magical tools in the show are just stunning. A: Let me go stream it now. I wanna
Rarely does Nature present such a striking contradiction as the one found in Lencois Maranhenses National Park. Located along Brazil’s northeastern coast, the park unveils breathtaking scenery, where rippling sands meet crystal-clear lagoons. Under the sun’s golden glow, the waters glitter in shades of turquoise and emerald. So surreal is this spectacle that visitors might wonder if they’re gazing at a digitally modified photo rather than a living landscape. Were it not for the unique geographical and climatic conditions, such a marvel would not exist. Unlike typical deserts, Lencois Maranhenses receives a substantial amount of rainfall, particularly during the rainy season
China commemorated 80 years since the end of World War II last week with a massive military parade against a backdrop of a disputed history about who ultimately defeated Japan. The issues, including Japan’s reckoning with its wartime record in China, are bound to flare again in December, a flashpoint anniversary of the mass killing in Nanjing by invading Japanese troops. Below is an explainer about what the different — and disputed — points of view are. WHAT IS CHINA’S VIEW? For the Chinese government sitting in Beijing, this is a clear-cut issue: China sacrificed 35 million people in a heroic and brutal struggle
A: Wow, animated fantasy film “KPop Demon Hunters” (KDH) has become Netflix’s most viewed film ever. B: Isn’t that the movie about a K-pop girl group secretly serving as demon hunters? A: Yeah, and its theme song “Golden” was No. 1 on the Billboard chart. B: The hit performed by HUNTR/X — the girl group from KDH — has inspired a “Golden challenge,” as celebrities are racing to cover its sky-high notes. A: Cool, let’s try it out. A: 哇，動畫電影《KPop獵魔女團》近日已成為網飛上觀看次數最多的電影。 B: 這部電影不是關於某韓流女團，成員秘密擔任惡魔獵人的故事？ A: 對，主題曲《Golden》更勇奪告示牌單曲榜冠軍呢！ B: 該曲由電影中的女團「HUNTR/X」所演唱，甚至還掀起一股全球《Golden》大挑戰︰一堆名人挑戰翻唱該曲飆高音。 A: 酷喔我們也來挑戰吧。（By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
RSS