Liechtenstein has celebrated its National Day festivities with a return of some of the most awaited events following the two-year hiatus.
The day began with a speech to the Nation by HSH Prince Alois and a speech from the President of the Parliament, Mr Albert Frick.
The Prince Regent began his address by underlining the progress made by the country in recovering from the two years of on-and-off lockdowns and all the economic consequences they had.
He then mentioned the Russian war in Ukraine and used it to propose some of the changes he wishes for the country: increased energy independence through the boosting of the renewable energy sector and setting new goals for the labour market, including more specialised training during the school years and more flexible work hours.
He ended his speech by stating: “On today’s national holiday, we should celebrate and be thankful. But let us also use this day and the coming months to take care of our community and to think about how we can emerge stronger from this time of crisis. If we succeed in further increasing the attractiveness and reputation of our country and location, we can look to the future with confidence.”
He went on to thank the organisers of the celebrations and offer a blessing to the entire population.
Although tradition would entail a cocktail reception in the Rose Garden of Vaduz Castle, this could not take place because of renovation work.
This last hiccup brought fewer visitors to the castle grounds than in the pre-pandemic years. However, this seems to have been compensated by the increase in numbers of people, both locals and tourists, that have paid a visit to the folk festival that takes place annually in the capital, Vaduz.
The date of the 15th of August was selected because of its double meaning; besides being the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, it is also a homage to the birthday of Sovereign Prince Franz Josef II, who, during World War II in 1940, instituted the celebration of the National Day in defiance of Hitler’s assertion that “small states have no right to exist.”
