Audio Story With Ajita

People from over 160 nations live in Basel. In our series  Basel Bound we shine a spotlight on their perspectives. Together with Bajour, we ask them directly how they shape Basel and what matters to them here. They tell their own stories of arriving and staying themselves. This is Heimweh, A Place Between Homes. Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast (  Spotify  |  YouTube  |  Apple  ) About...

Yodeling, a cherished Swiss tradition, thrives in urban Basel through clubs like Jodler Club Echo Basel. In this episode, we speak to Shona Holmes , a member of Yodel Club Echo Basel, Corrine Utzinge r, Co-President of Youth Couir jutz.ch, and Marianne Leibundgut , President of Jodlerclub Echo Basel. They highlight yodeling's community-building power and its relevance beyond mountainous landscapes...

How Winterhilfe Basel Supports Families and the Working Poor This episode explores "invisible" poverty in Switzerland through a conversation with Claudia Burio, a board member of Winterhilfe Basel, a charity founded in 1936 to provide winter relief and now offering year-round, targeted support to people just above the poverty line. Winterhilfe helps Swiss residents by paying urgent health and hous...

My Ear for You - Just Talk: A Volunteer Phone Line Tackling Loneliness in Switzerland In this conversation, Dr. Olivier Seiler explains the origins and growth of the Swiss initiative "Mein Ohr für Dich" ("My Ear for You"), launched in March 2021 during COVID to offer lonely people a low-threshold way to chat with a real person. The service is not a crisis or suicide helpline. Volunteers mainly dis...

Announcing The GoodNews Letter  💕 Hey there, if your newsfeed feels a bit dark lately, you're not alone. Welcome to The GoodNews Letter . Every month we bring you the most inspiring stories and uplifting news from across Switzerland that you probably missed. Think of the good newsletter as your monthly dose of optimism delivered straight to your inbox and ears. Hit that subscribe or follow button...

The Month of May sees two important commemorations, The Day of Local Journalism May 5th and World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd. To mark this, we spoke to Elio Donauer, Co-Managing Director & Project Manager Civic Media at Tsüri, a digital, local, newsletter from Zurich , that is sent out everday.  In the recent conversation with Mr. Elio Donauer, we explored the unique aspects of Tsüri's journey a...

Today, we're diving into a remarkable initiative that celebrates community involvement and volunteerism in Switzerland, espcially in the City of Basel. In 2026, the world is celebrating the International Year of Volunteers. In today's episode, we're highlighting some outstanding projects awarded at the prestigious "Prix Schappo Gala" held in Basel-Stadt. Four diverse projects have been honored, re...

Unveiling Basel's Industry Night 2026: A Behind-the-Scenes Experience Basel, a vibrant city known for its rich cultural tapestry and unique geographical position, gears up for its fourth Industry Night in 2026. This innovative concept invites the public to step inside the fascinating world of industries that shape the Basel landscape.  We first hear from Pascale Thomann, on everything about the In...

Andrea Otto on Basel's Neighborhood Flea Markets Sustainability, Community, and a 10-Year Expansion Andrea Otto, a Basel local and owner of the sustainable clothing store Riviera, discusses Quartier Flohmarkt Basel, a neighborhood-based flea market concept held on private property in backyards. Inspired by Munich, she and her colleagues launched it in Kleinbasel and Wettstein, and it grew over 10...

International Women's Day and Women's History Month Special Anna Svea Grafström Burkhardt and Emélie Dunn unknowingly made history by being one of the first two women to be admitted to the historically male-only Kleinbasler Ehrengesellschaften (3E) or Klein Basel Honor Societies. Every March, the Women's History Month celebrates the historical and contemporary contributions of women to society. Li...

The Climate Fund Initiative calls for the federal government to allocate significantly more funds to combating climate change and its consequences. To this end, it should set up a fund and pay in an annual amount equivalent to between 0.5 and 1 per cent of Switzerland's economic output. This corresponds to approximately CHF 4 to 8 billion. The fund is intended to enable the federal government to s...

Currently, married couples in Switzerland are taxed jointly and unmarried couples are taxed individually. In addition, different tax rates apply. This means that married couples and unmarried couples pay different levels of tax. This unequal treatment is to be abolished. Parliament has therefore passed the Federal Act on Individual Taxation. As a referendum has been called on this bill, it will be...

Matthias Zehnder on Switzerland's '200 Is Enough' Referendum and the Future of Public Broadcasting The episode features Dr. Matthias Zehnder, Publisher of Edito since 2023 and Board Member of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation's Basel region, discussing Switzerland's March 8 referendum to cut the household public broadcasting fee from 335 to 200 francs and exempt businesses. Zehnder explains the E...

Switzerland Federal Referendum Special - March 8, 2026 Neighbourhood News speaks with Young Liberals President, Cyril Bleisch in a noisy cafe at The Rhine, discussing Switzerland's "200 Sind Genug" or 200 is Enough Initiative.  In the interview with Neighborhood News, Cyril Bleisch, president of the Young Liberals Baselland, explains the "200 Sind Genug" initiative to cut Switzerland's mandatory S...

Inside Cavalluna:  Neighborhood News interviews Iris Heider about Cavalluna, a family entertainment production that combines horses and riding styles from across Europe with dance, acrobatics, lighting and special effects, music, costumes, and elaborate stage design, presented as a theater-style magical story rather than a horse-only show. Heider explains the show's evolution over two decades into...

Baseldytschibihni and the Basel Dialect: Theater, Translation, and Swiss Multilingualism The episode marks International Mother Language Day (February 21) by exploring multilingualism in Switzerland and the cultural role of Swiss German dialects, focusing on Basel's dialect theater company Baseldytschi Bihni. We interview Board Member and long-time actress Silvia Gallacchi in English and discusse...

Basel-Stadt and Aargau Launch "Food Health" Partnership to Build a Cross-Cantonal Innovation Ecosystem Government Counselor Dieter Egli (Canton of Aargau) and Kaspar Sutter (Basel City) discuss a new cantonal partnership between Basel-Stadt and Aargau built around the "Food Health" initiative, described as a first concrete cross-canton project of its kind. They explain the goal of working together...

Special Report of the Audit Committee on Schefer Report In this Audio Story we speak with Tim Cuénod, President of the Parliamentarian Control and Audit Commission , discussion the impact of the findings of the Schefer Report, touching on critical issues like understaffing, cultural change, and necessary reforms. The interview addresses the subsequent follow-up report by the Business Audit Commiss...

In this episode, we explore the vibrant and enchanting world of Basel Fasnacht, Switzerland's famous carnival, with our special guest, Susanne Andretti. As the Stadthalterin (Deputy) of the Fasnachts Committee, Susanne shares her insights into the unique traditions, magical moments, and year-round work that make these "three most beautiful days" in Basel so special. From the iconic Morgenstreich t...

The Annual Siren Test in Switzerland: Ensuring Preparedness and Safety This is probably one of the most importants stories you should listen to, if you live in Switzerland. Join us as we discuss the crucial annual siren test in Switzerland with Mr. Christian Fuchs, co-head of Public Information and Emergencies at the Federal Office for Civil Protection. Learn about the history and purpose of testi...

Exploring Basel's Pre-Carnival Traditions and Performances with Drummeli This episode dives into the pre-carnival events in Basel, known as 'Vorfasnachtsveranstaltungen' which feature satirical and musical performances leading up to the main carnival. The show covers various aspects, including many popular pre-carnival events. We speak with Matthieu Meyer Producer of Drummeli and Michael Luisier t...

Modernizing Basel: 2026 Infrastructure Projects and Updates Join us as we discuss the major infrastructure projects in Basel set for 2026 with Roger Reinauer, the head of Roads and Rivers and Cantonal Engineer. This episode delves into the collaboration between various departments, including the Tiefbauamt, IWB, and BVB, as they work on renewing roads, utilities, and tram stops. We also cover ongo...

Ship Ahoy! Interview with Head of Library, Pedagogy Centre Basel, Department of Education Exploring Basel's Youth Book Ship: A Floating Library Experience Join Neighborhood News as we speak with Ms. Vivian Pescatore, the head librarian of the Pedagogy Centre, about the Youth Book Ship 2026. This unique floating library, docked on the Rhine near Basel's historic Middle Bridge, has been captivating...

Exploring Poetry: A Conversation with Simone Lappert, President, Lyrikfestival Basel (International Basel Poetry Festival) In this episode of Neighborhood News speaks with Simone Lappert, the president of the Lyrikestival Basel, about her role in the festival, her off-grid lifestyle, and the impact it has on her creative process. They discuss the fear of poetry among adults, the festival's roots a...

Basel's most anticipated cultural highlights Museum Night is celebrating it silver jubilee in 2026. This annual celebration transforms the city into a vibrant, after-dark playground for art lovers, curious minds, and night owls alike. With over 43 museums, galleries, and cultural institutions opening their doors late into the evening, Museum Night offers visitors an unforgettable chance to explore...