An Ethiopian delegation was welcomed by Dr. Rekha Oleschack, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Federalism, and visited the Institute to gain insight into Switzerland’s federal structure and the management of its linguistic diversity. Topics included the role of the Constitution in protecting language rights, the implementation of these rights across different levels of government, and the federal support available to multilingual cantons such as Valais, Fribourg, Bern, and Graubünden. Particular interest was shown in the recognition of Romansh as an official language, despite it being spoken by only a small fraction of the population.
The exchange was enriching for both sides and underscored the value of international dialogue on federalism and diversity.