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Hans Erni with Yolanda Rojal, president of the Swiss foreign press association in Lucerne 16 May 2009

Hans Erni

Lucerne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Hans Erni, Swiss artist who celebrated his 100th birthday in February, has been named Swiss Personality of the Year 2008-2009 by the Foreign Press Association, which is based in Geneva.

Erni Saturday evening 16 May welcomed a small group of journalists to his museum next to the Swiss Transportation Museum in Lucerne, his hometown. He spoke passionately for 30 minutes, focusing on his continuing work to promote peace.

The artist’s new wall fresco, a series of ceramic panels that plea for peace, is currently being installed to cover 60 metres of cement wall at the United Nations building in Geneva. It will be unveiled 6 June in a public ceremony.

Erni has, over his career that spans 80 years, contributed his art to many humanitarian organizations, notably the UN and the ICRC (International Red Cross). He was awarded the United Nations Peace Prize in 1983. In the years after the second world war he was ostracized by some for his left-leaning views, which he defends passionately today, telling his journalist guests Saturday that “I was never a member of a party, I was always just for peace, pushing for peace.” The fresco in Geneva is the culmination of this work, he says. “I don’t want my country’s contribution to [the work of the UN] to be only in the form of words. I want people who are going into the UN to see this and feel inspired, to be reminded they are working for peace.”

Hans Erni and his dove autograph

Erni’s signature dove, the symbol of peace, is a recurring theme for the fresco.

His dove autographs were much in demand by the journalists, who were surprised not only by the continuing passion of Erni’s fight for peace, but by his energy and stamina. An hour after his press conference he was still holding lively discussions and signing doves with a steady hand.

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