Culture and Lifstyle of Geneva Switzerland

 “The culture of Switzerland is characterized by diversity; the wide range of traditional customs is one reflection of this assortment”. The three main languages and main cultures that inhabit Switzerland are French, Italian, German backgrounds. Specifically in Geneva, the town is known for its interesting culture for holding the European headquarters of the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the UN High Commission for Refugees and CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The picture to the left is of the "feast day" Canton Appenzell Inner-Rhodes; the woman is wearing a fan-like exquisite head piece called a Schlappe. This is the traditional dress of the feast day costume.
Wellness

Pounds of recycled bottles.

On the topic of wellness, all of aspects from how people live, work and play, contribute to a healthy life style in Geneva, one being recycling. Not just within the town of Geneva, but the entirety of the country is unbelievably dedicated to keeping their country environmentally-friendly. Waste management, vehicle fuels, biodiversity, forests, water, and quality of air are huge factor s that is always being taken into consideration when discussing and how to protect the environment. 

Leisure

 
For leisure, many Swiss citizens enjoy reading, riding bikes, going out for walks, and spending time with friend s and family.  Many of the Swiss are active and enjoy being outside, despite the winter months, nearly half of the population engage in an athletic activity once or twice a week. In a study conducted in 2005 by, Swissinfo.ch more than 75% Swiss citizens read every day and to also include, gardening, going to the cinema, and visiting art exhibitions are entertaining leisure activities as well. In addition, skiing and visiting Switzerland’s famous mountain tops is especially noted as a great activity to partake in during the winter months.

Particularly in Geneva, the town is very well known for its’ festivals and fairs. Every year the town holds an exclusive fair for their infamous Geneva Seal, or Poinçon de Genève, in other words, a specific type of a very fancy watch. The town holds the International Salon for Prestige Watchmaking to promote their Seal (watches). In March, Geneva holds its annual car fair and some the other fairs that are held include the Inventors' Fair and the Book Fair. However, most famously, the booming city is definitely known for its festivals dedicated to music and art; festivals including, the Montreux Jazz Festival (two week period during the summer), the Paleo Festival (July), the Bâtie Festival (September), the Geneva Fête de la Musique (June), and finally, the Bol d'Or Mirabaud (June). The pictures to the left are views of the various festivals and street fairs that take place annually throughout the town of Geneva.Upper Right: An areal shot of the Street Parade in Zurich, that attracts thousands and thousands of ravers from all over Europe.

Food

Of the most famous food in Switzerland, their chocolate and cheese definitely stand out the most in particular. Many restaurants throughout the Swiss region have their own specialties and make dishes depending on the seasons and so forth. Cheese Fondue is probably the most well-known dish throughout all of Switzerland. For the dish, two to three different cheeses are used with the combination of white wine, kirsch, or cider; all melted together in a large pot, the condense transforms into this creamy luscious goo for dipping of pieces of bread, meat, and  an array of vegetables.

Be Swiss for the day! Here is a recipe to try out:

Cheese Fondue

Also the Swiss are highly known for their CHOCOLATE!!  Some of the biggest names of chocolate originated from the beautiful country of Switzerland such as Nestle and Lindt. Think about it, eating a Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie is Swiss (French-Swiss), who knew!! To add, a little fun fact for some enjoyment: “The Swiss hold the world record for individual chocolate consumption with each person eating over 10 kilograms per year”. That is a lot of chocolate!


In comparison to Geneva's sister city, Portland Maine, many of the cultures in the United States and the Swiss are very different, but still are similar in some shape or form. Similarly, Americans always appear to be in a hurry and are constantly on the move, while the Swiss seem to have a "control", lets say, on their workloads and life. They are able to squeeze small sections out of their day to find time to read leisurely, and Americans can not even find time to sit down and eat lunch or even go to the gym. Geneva's quality of life can definitely set a great example to follow by; it can serve as an inspiration for designing a workplace or an office environment. Basically, the incumbents of these qualities will provide the outline of a successful plan and design.