Identity
Why Balkan culture in the diaspora matters more today than ever
Twenty years ago, when I was younger, there were plenty of entertainment events in Switzerland for our people. But what really pulled me in were the events for young audiences I kept hearing about from my friends in Belgrade — regulars at the theatre and at concerts. Back then, the idea of organising cultural events in our language in Switzerland was something out of the ordinary.
Today it is a need — our community has changed, and there are many more of us with the same wishes and the same hunger.
We live fast, we live between cultures. We often forget where we belong.
And that is exactly why Balkan culture has a new value today — not as nostalgia, but as identity.
Theatre, film, music — these are not just content, they reflect our lives.
They are themes we understand without translation.
I see it every time at the events: people come not just for the artists, they come for the feeling, for the language, for the mentality, for something that brings them back to themselves and to balance.
That is why I believe that what we do through HELSE carries even more weight today than before.
We are not just preserving culture. We live it — together.
And that is the reason we keep going.
— Evica
Our stories
Why people from the Balkans leave so often, yet find it so hard to stop thinking about it
Evica Marković1 October 2026When you have lived away from the country you came from for a long time, your relationship with it becomes more complicated than you imagined at the start. Distance sometimes sharpens the view and sometimes clouds it with nostalgia…
Read moreEleven days when Zurich lives through film
Evica Marković23 September 2026Every autumn the area around Sechseläutenplatz changes almost overnight. Festival signs appear, queues form in front of the cinemas, around town you hear more and more conversations about films nobody has had the chance to see yet, and people who might otherwise never meet end up in the same auditorium because they picked the same title from the programme…
Read moreWhen design steps out onto the streets of Zurich
Evica Marković17 September 2026There are things we use every day and almost never think about. The chair we sit on, the glass we drink water from, the sign at the stop that tells us where to go, the light in a restaurant that keeps us there longer than we planned, or a poster on the street that makes us stop…
Read more
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
HELSE is a Swiss cultural association that fosters exchange between Switzerland and Serbia. Through theatre, film, music, stand-up and children's workshops we build cultural bridges — alive, inspiring and open to everyone.
Our programme is diverse: theatre performances, film screenings, stand-up comedy, concerts, readings, seminars and children's workshops.
Events run year-round — the current schedule lives in the Events section.
Tickets are sold online via each event's page and, for some programmes, at the door before the show. HELSE members receive discounts on selected events.
Membership is open to anyone who wants to support the association. The annual fee is CHF 70, with reduced rates for students and pensioners.
Sign up via the Membership page — for any additional questions, write to info@helse.ch.