In the afternoon of the 14 November, Mr Burkhalter met in Ypres with three Swiss school classes that won a trip to western Flanders as part of the competition he launched in March 2014 on the subject of the First World War. Approximately half a million lives were lost in the battles near Ypres during the Great War.
Press release, 08.11.2014 (“Prize-winning Swiss school projects on the First World War”)
Mr Burkhalter visited a First World War trench and he and the winning pupils were received by the mayor of Ypres. Along with the minister-president of Flanders, Mr Burkhalter attended the "Last Post" memorial event in the evening of 14 November to commemorate the victims of the First World War. The school classes also attended the memorial event.
