Social issues

“You are important to us, that’s fact!”

Drug prevention with heart and mind

von Dr. med. Sabine Vuilleumier-Koch*

(17 April 2026) “Endlesslife addiction prevention helps to prevent addiction at an early stage and to promote physical, mental and social well-being.” With these words, the association “Endlesslife” from St. Gallen describes what some 120 students at a cantonal school were able to experience at the end of March. Thomas Feurer, founder of the “Endlesslife” organisation (see box), and his team managed to hold the youth’s attention for a whole morning – four hours in total – and motivate them to actively participate.

Social media, young girls and the surveillance state

by Anne Burger*

(10 April 2026) Protecting minors and online anonymity are false contradictions. It is possible both to protect children from social media and to uphold freedom of expression. Both are important.

Solidarity in the village – are we losing something valuable?

by Stephan Laube, local councillor in Felben-Wellhausen (TG)

(27 March 2026) Many of us still remember it: in the village, help was taken for granted. Anyone coming home late from work knew their children could have a meal at a neighbour’s. People would lend each other ladders, tools or cars, without a receipt and without discussion. If someone fell ill or there was a death in the family, a handful of people would turn up at the door – with some soup, time and a listening ear.

Germany

Debanking of an independent journalist

Ulrich Heyden’s account frozen after more than 30 years

(27 March 2026) (CH-S) Ulrich Heyden is one of the few independent German journalists reporting from Russia. His stance is independent and therefore critical. He has been working in Russia for many decades and, thanks to his language skills, personal connections, experience and extensive knowledge of the country and its people, is able to present high-quality reports, features and analyses to his readers in the German-speaking world (https://ulrich-heyden.de). This is one of the reasons why Ulrich Heyden is also a welcome contributor to “Swiss Standpoint”.

“Deprived of all rights”

Hannes Hofbauer presents his new book

by Marita Brune-Koch*

(27 March 2026) Have you ever heard the name Jacques Baud? Well, surely you have; after all, you are reading “Swiss Standpoint”, a publication that has reported extensively on him and about him. You will find hardly anything about him in the mainstream media. It was precisely this question – “Do you know Jacques Baud?” – that Hannes Hofbauer, author and publisher, put to a group of bookstore clerks. The answer: no one had ever heard the name. That is symptomatic.

“Life goes on even where it seems to have been shattered”

In honour of Guido A. Zäch

by Dr Sabine Vuilleumier-Koch*

(13 March 2026) Hundreds of people wished to pay their respects to the doctor and founder of the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation.1 Guido A. Zäch established this foundation in 1975 and, in 1978, the Association of Benefactors, which now has 2 million members. In 1980, he founded the Swiss Paraplegics Association as an organisation for people with spinal cord injuries, and in 1990 opened the “Swiss Paraplegics Centre” (SPC) and, in 2005, the Guido A. Zäch Institute. – He passed away at the age of 90 on 16 February 2026. Across the country, all interested parties were invited on 28 February and were able to attend the tribute ceremony in various buildings of the SPZ.