The Pestalozzi Children's Village celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2026. On the founding day, 28 April, numerous guests from politics, business and the public attended the anniversary event in Trogen and paid tribute to eight decades of commitment to education, children's rights and peaceful coexistence.
The celebration began with an official welcome from Rosmarie Quadranti, President of the Board of Trustees, and Andrea Caroni, Member of the Council of States. This was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Sonja Hasler, in which the development of the Children's Village and current challenges were highlighted.
Between preserving and thinking aheadThe
highlight of the event was the reopening of the three historic founding houses Les Hirondelles, Lalibela and Pinocchio. The extensively renovated buildings were ceremoniously inaugurated in the presence of guests. The renovation was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Thomas & Doris Ammann Foundation.
The architectural realisation follows the principle of preserving and thinking ahead: the historical building fabric was largely preserved, supplemented by new elements such as shingle façades made of Appenzell spruce wood. Inside, traces of use, old wooden walls and scribbles remain as visible evidence of history.
Children's drawings as contemporary
witnessesThe exhibition of children's drawings from the Children's Village archive was then opened. It was curated by Georg Frei, Lisa Boos, Olga Nazarova from the Thomas & Doris Ammann Foundation and Jeanette Badura from the Pestalozzi Children's Foundation.
The exhibition provides an impressive insight into the lives of children and young people since 1946 and visualises the development of the Children's Village in a personal way. At the subsequent aperitif riche, the guests took the opportunity to exchange ideas and meet each other.
"D'Stobe isch wieder parat" remains more than just a historical sentence - it is a promise for the future."
