Switzerland is observing a national day of mourning on January 9 in honour of the victims of the deadly New Year’s Eve bar fire in Crans-Montana. The tragedy in the Swiss ski resort has also deeply affected Swiss citizens around the world. Messages left in the special online book of condolences launched by the authorities and on social media give a sense of the sorrow and solidarity felt by Swiss citizens abroad. When bells ring out at 2pm on Friday and Switzerland observes a minute of silence in honour of the victims, people in London, New York and Sydney will also be taking part in similar ceremonies of remembrance for the 40 victims who lost their lives on New Year's Eve in a bar fire in Crans-Montana, canton Valais, and for the 116 others who were seriously injured in the devastating blaze. For the more than 826,000 Swiss citizens living abroad, geographical distance hardly matters in these sad times. The digital book of condolences launched by the Swiss government has become a ...
