How Swiss schools abroad teach democracy in autocratic countries

From Beijing to Bogota, the 17 Swiss schools abroad strive to instil Swiss democratic values in their pupils. This can be a delicate challenge in countries where the political context differs greatly from that of Switzerland. This issue was the focus of the schools’ annual conference, held recently in Valais. “Our schools are places where democracy is practiced every day,” says Heinz Rhyn, president of educationsuisse, the umbrella organisation for Swiss schools abroad, at the opening of the…