Forgot your password?
The Swiss caravan
By Michèle Spieler
From June
10th until June 14th, the Women’s Caravan crossed Switzerland from border to
border on board of a small van decorated in an artistic and original way. It
was gaudy and noisy, just to draw the attention everywhere we were going. The
local groups could join it by going to meet it, taking advantage of it on the spot
during its stops, but could also accompany it on the continuation of its route.
This way, more than 30
events in about twenty municipalities took place: marches, seminars, picnics,
bicycle excursions, demonstrations, etc.
The
departure of the Caravan was on June 10th in Basel, city situated at the edge
of the Rhine, a city of border with Germany and France.
The same day, the Caravan
stopped in the cities of Möhlin,
Aarau and Zurich. In Zurich, it was
welcomed by a women's choir named "Die Vogelfreien" (The Outlaws).
Later, we showed the film "Les Guerrières" (The Women Warriors),
followed by a debate on the women soldiers.
On Saturday, June 11th, the
Caravan continued its road and accompanied walkers from Ebikon to join a demonstration in Lucerne. At the same
time in Bern took place another demonstration with interventions, music and
party. During the demonstration, the women sang a feminist version of
"l’Internationale" and chanted slogans. During the party, an
exhibition presented pictures of the action of the World March of Women in
various countries around the world.
The first city in
Switzerland to receive the Charter and the Quilt was Neuchatel on June 12th.
They were brought by Bojura
Pavlova of Bulgaria.
The Charter and the Quilt were exposed on the lake shore. Then, we transported
them, during a short demonstration, in a park, where a tree was planted for
every women victims of violence or poverty. On the same day, the journey
continued by boat through the lake until Morat.
On Monday the activities
began in Fribourg with an exhibition of the Charter
and the Quilt. These
activities were followed by a picnic.
Later during the day, the
Caravan stopped in Lausanne where an action for public kindergarten took place.
In the evening, on its
road for Geneva, the Caravan was welcomed in Morges and Nyon.
While the women’s Caravan arrived at its final
destination, activities took place at the same time in different cities in
Switzerland. On the occasion of the traditional day of the women’s strike on
June 14th, women met for actions in St-Galle, Amriswil, and Bern. In Bern the
women distributed symbolically huge golden bars in front of the Federal Palace.
These bars represent the 14 billion francs of the National Bank now paid to cantons.
Under the slogan "The children are worth some gold" they demanded
that this money be used for cantonal and municipal structures of child-minder.
