Transcript: Mayor Adams Delivers Remarks At Flag-Raising Ceremony For Switzerland

August 1, 2024

Commissioner Ed Mermelstein, Mayor's Office of International Affairs: Good afternoon, esteemed guests, dignitaries, Consul General Niculin Jaeger. And we are also waiting for our Federal Councillor, Karin Keller-Sutte, Vice President of Switzerland, who should be arriving shortly. Today we celebrate Swiss National Day in the heart of New York City, proudly serving as home to thousands of Swiss Americans. We are delighted to see so many of you here today, sharing in the joy and pride of this special occasion.

The Swiss community has made remarkable contributions to our society. That's beyond the great chocolates that we all enjoy in New York City, from the invention of the wireless mouse, which has become an essential part of our digital lives, to the engineering marvel of what I look at every morning when I wake up at the George Washington Bridge, as well as many of the other bridges and tunnels of New York City, as well as unique architectural designs of the United Nations. That is all due to Switzerland's influence, which is profound and far-reaching in New York.

The innovations and contributions of the Swiss people touch our lives in countless ways. Enriching our experiences and shaping our world. Today we honor and celebrate these achievements. It is with great pride and respect that we raise the Swiss flag today. I want to wish all of you Happy Swiss National Day. Thank you. Okay, I'm going to call for our musicians to join us.

[Music Performance.]

Good morning, once again, everybody. It is my great honor to introduce to you the Federal Councillor and Vice President of Switzerland, Karin Keller-Sutter.

Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter, Vice President of Switzerland: Well, dear mayor, dear Swiss community, dear guests, I hope you will forgive my addressing you so informally and my rather British accent.

Two years ago, a renowned Swiss economic historian warned against romanticizing the relationship between Switzerland and the United States. The term sister republics, he wrote, was misleading despite all the common historical ground. The term suggested a closeness that had not existed for a long time. And it would be dangerous to think that the United States would show special consideration to Switzerland. The historian, of course, is right. A global power like the United States and a small neutral country like Switzerland do not have, always, equal interests. And time and again, they take different paths to defend them.

Nevertheless, here in New York, on today's Swiss National Day, I would like to honor our historical similarities. The history of our two countries is first and foremost one of mutual inspiration. Take the first sentence of the American Declaration of Independence of the 4th of July of 1776. I quote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

The founding fathers of the United States would probably not have written this sentence if they had not studied the work of the so-called Western Swiss school of natural law, in French, l'école romande du droit naturel. This school was an important movement of the Enlightenment in the 18th century, which established a modern natural law and concept of humanity. It was a representative of this school, Jean-Jacques Burlamaqui from Geneva, who first coined the concept of the pursuit of happiness, which became a central motive of the American way of life.

Seven decades later, it was the Swiss constitutional fathers who drew inspiration from the United States. In 1848, they followed the insistent plea of the political philosopher Troxler to adopt the U.S. bicameral system. Troxler was convinced that, and I quote, "Only by introducing the bicameral system as it exists in the Union Republic, meaning the United States of America, can the Cantons be given a valid guarantee of their existence and independence, and can a centrality in the Confederation be introduced, whereby the nation as the embodiment of all peoples is meant and strengthened."

The decision to introduce the bicameral system in Switzerland broke a days-long deadlock in the constitutional commission and paved the way for the founding of the modern Swiss federal state. So ladies and gentlemen, what is common ground worth today? The idea of democracy and freedom is under pressure. In Europe, Russia is waging a war against a democratic neighbor. In the Middle East, the brutal attack by Hamas against Israel has plunged Gaza into a bloody war. China's claims to power in the South China Sea are leading to dangerous tensions. International debt has reached alarming dimensions and is increasingly jeopardizing the resilience of Western countries.

Albert Gallatin would be turning in his grave. Gallatin was another Genevan who, for many years, at the beginning of the 19th century, kept a tight rein on finances as U.S. treasurer under Thomas Jefferson. And I'm afraid it doesn't stop here. Climate change, migration, and disruptions in the working environment are unsettling people in our Western societies. Populists are celebrating election victories. This is no reflection on the voters. It is a wake-up call to moderate political forces, a call to listen to the people. I am convinced they do not expect simple answers. They expect honest ones. It is not about promises of salvation either, but about conducting the debate freely and peacefully and about genuinely striving for the best solutions.

This also means being open to compromise. As was Benjamin Franklin, another great American, whose convictions and actions were once condensed into the wise sentence, compromisers may not make great heroes, but they do make great democracies. In a nutshell, it's about living democracy, which brings me back to what our two countries have in common. The mutual intellectual inspiration was just the beginning.

We laid the foundation on which the United States and Switzerland became the first lasting republican democracies in our modern world. What a legacy, and it is a living legacy. From their founding to the present day, the United States and Switzerland are two success stories. The success of liberal democracies should not be measured only in terms of prosperity, but above all in terms of freedom, both personal and economic. And the success stories of both our countries should inspire and motivate us to defend and nurture the legacy of our founding fathers.

This does not mean standing still. We cannot stop the future from happening. But we can go on shaping the future based on freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. From the conviction that only democracy is able to secure our freedom, and that only those who make use of their freedom are free, as stated in the preamble of the constitution of Switzerland.

So dear mayor, dear Swiss community, ladies and gentlemen, it is a huge pleasure to be here with you today. I would like to thank the mayor, and I would like to tell you that you might know that Taylor Swift recently came to Switzerland. She obviously enjoyed it. Why don't you come too? Well in any case, you are cordially invited, and you don't even have to sing if you don't want to.

Let me also thank the Swiss embassy, and especially the consulate, the consular here in New York, Mr. Jaeger, and all the men and women who made this 1st of August celebration here in the center of New York possible, in the oldest park, the Bowling Green Park, the oldest park of New York. A special thanks goes to the chairman of the Bowling Green Association. I don't know if this is the first time that the typical Swiss cheese dish, Raclette, is being served here in the financial district. You can tell me later on over a glass of wine. In any case, it is a very democratic dish if served properly. One person, one slice.

In this spirit, I wish you confidence in the strength of democracy, the courage to embrace freedom, and a healthy appetite. [Speaks in French and German.] Thank you, merci, grazie, and thank you for your attention.

Commissioner Mermelstein: Thank you so much for your kind words, federal counselor, and, of course, the Swiss cheese. And today, and now, it is my great honor and pleasure to introduce a leader that truly embodies the spirit and resilience of New York City. Our 110th mayor, Mayor Eric Adams.

Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. Thank you so much, and thank you, Commissioner Mermelstein, and really thank you for the powerful words that came from the vice president of Switzerland, Karin Keller-Sutter. And I want to thank the ambassador and the consul general for being here.

I don't know if the Switzerland realized the impact that they've had on young adults as they grew up during my generation. Switzerland was known for not only its neutrality, but its equity. And you would not find a young person during my time who during a dispute or conflict would not say, I am like Switzerland. I am a person that is trying to find solutions on both sides of the concept. During a time where we believe that we have to prove each other's wrong and believe that we have to look down on each other instead of lifting each other up, Switzerland gives us a clear reflection on the power of engagement, the power of understanding, the power of first let's seek to understand so we would be understood.

It took 109 mayors before the flag of Switzerland was to be here at Bowling Green, a very significant place not only for the beginning of this great city, but the economic strength of New York and the economic strength of America. It was too long to wait for this beautiful red and white flag to adorn Bowling Green. I am so proud to be the mayor that sees the importance of the relationship with Switzerland and how it played a significant role in not only the drafting of our constitution, but in the belief that we can live in a state of uniformity and equality.

You should be proud to be Swiss. You should be proud to bring your contribution here to America. What is our secret weapon is the dash that sits between our name. We are not who we are because of a monolithic approach to life, we're who we are because in this country we state that you bring your culture to marry with the underlying common denominator of being American. You're not American Switzerland. I'm not American African, a Chinese is not American-Chinese. America said put your country first. You are Swiss American. I'm African American, Chinese American, Polish American, German American, and if you remove that dash from the middle of our name, we no longer have the product that we want to produce.

No one has been here from the start, but our indigenous people, everyone arrived here to bring their culture, their commonality, their love, their respect, their nurturing, everything from your cheese to your food, culture, and dance came here to produce this great experiment of diversity. Raising your flag today is one of the most significant roles I can have as a mayor. A mayor is substantive and symbolism. The substantive is to keep us safe, to educate our children, to build houses, to make sure that we're able to move our subway system on time. But the symbolism is to raise flags, to raise your spirits, and let you know I see you. I acknowledge you. I know the importance of your contribution to this city and to this country.

That's what today is about, to celebrate your independence, but also to lift up our dependence. We need each other. We're members of the greatest race alive, the human race, and today we raise that flag of one of the greatest contributors to that race. Thank you, and long live, and God bless Switzerland, God bless America.

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