Christoph Remund on the importance of foreigners in Saanenland

Our sister publication Anzeiger von Saanen has been continuing its multi-part series on foreigners in Saanenland (see the last one we ported over to GstaadLife.com: Ninetta Fix: in Saanenland's embrace). This week, Christoph Remund, hotelier, representative of the Evangelical People's Party (EDU) Saanen, and one of the region's favorite local chefs currently running the Au Montagnard restaurant in Château-d'Oex while the reconstruction of the former Hotel Bahnhöfli in Saanenmöser is ongoing, shares his perpsectives on the subject of foreigners in Saanenland...

Christoph Remund, how do you judge the interaction of foreigners and locals in Saanenland?
Foreigners are part of our society. They enrich the cultural landscape, and they have had a significant impact on our economic prosperity during the past decades. Most foreign residents in Saanenland are familiar with our local traditions and are well integrated.

How did you reach this upbeat conclusion?
Strict but cooperative and engaging migration policies like the ones used in Saanenland have stood the test of time. The more equality and opportunities we can offer foreigners, the more our economy will develop. As well as benefiting from their intellectual power, we can also win the hearts of these new citizens. They identify themselves with our society - a fact which can be demonstrated by their passionate interest in our local politics.

In your opinion, what is integration?
The EDU believes that the family is the central institution of our society, and this principle guides the way we perceive integration. A well-balanced approach to life depends on family values such as respect, understanding, solidarity and helpfulness. Moreover, integration helps to promote self-confidence and a sense of belonging. For these reasons, mothers deserve a special mention: the way they perceive their role and interact in our society influences the way the family’s children are raised.

How do public institutions facilitate integration?
Schools and especially sport clubs in Saanenland play an important role. Special care is given when trying to overcome linguistic, cultural or family differences. This needs to be commended.

Do you think the Gemeinde should do more to encourage foreigners to learn the language?
This would be a sensible measure. Communication is a prerequisite for integration.

What initiative do foreigners have to take?
Foreigners have to be prepared to accept our social, civic and judicial principals. Yet for people who want to settle here permanently, this is a prerequisite rather than an obligation or duty. Foreigners need to be able to identify with our institutions, such as the secular state, equality before the law, and freedom.

In Saanenland there are two types of foreigners, namely tourists and the immigrant work force. How are these groups perceived and dealt with?
Tourism is our economy’s most important sector. Many so-called tourists have become solid friends of the region, and have even gone so far as to acquire citizenship. They are interested in local developments, and support local events and infrastructure. I am convinced that they should have a say in our region’s development into the future. Of course some Saaners may object to this. There is a latent fear concerning the "power" of foreigners. However, we locals are the root of this problem - not the foreigners. We need to portray ourselves with more self-confidence, and show a real interest in local politics. Furthermore, we need to take the interests of future generations into account.

As for foreign workforces, I do not feel that one should distinguish them from wealthy tourists. Not only have they enriched my daily life for many years, but they support us in our trade and have become essential in many other ways. Independent of whether people come from Switzerland or from abroad, they all deserve the same respect and appreciation. After all, people who are appreciated work harder than those who are merely tolerated.

Foreigners in the workforce play an important role in the economic and cultural development of Gstaad-Saanenland.