Identity
Integration without assimilation — can a person belong in two places?
Many people who live abroad feel the same inner conflict: how much do we have to adapt in order to belong?
I think the idea of integration is often presented in the wrong way. It can seem as though a person has to erase a part of themselves completely in order to be accepted.
But I do not believe that.
I believe it is possible to build a life in another country, to respect its rules, its culture and its way of life — and at the same time to stay connected to your origin.
People rarely have only one identity, least of all today.
I see many families in Switzerland who manage to bring both worlds together: the children speak several languages, they grow up with different cultures, and they learn to be at home in more than one place at once.
Of course, it is not always simple. Sometimes there is a feeling that you are not fully "here nor there". But perhaps it is precisely out of that experience that a particular breadth is born.
I think culture plays a great part in this. Through music, film, theatre and community, people strengthen their sense of belonging — and that sense does not have to be tied to one culture alone.
At our events the focus is not only on entertainment, although it is always there. But while you are enjoying yourselves, you are at the same time giving yourself (and your children) a firm connection to one important side of your identity.
— Evica
Our stories
The night when all of Zurich becomes a museum
Evica Marković3 September 2026There are places we walk past for years, always thinking: I will go in some other time. Zurich has many of them…
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The first day of school between two languages
Evica Marković27 August 2026At the end of August, a familiar moment happens in Zurich. The city's summer rhythm has not quite faded, the days are still long, the terraces full — and then, one Monday, new school bags appear at the tram stops, slightly too big for small backs, parents trying to look more relaxed than they feel, and children setting out for the first time on a path that will become completely ordinary to them in the years ahead…
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Why I come back to Theater Spektakel every summer
Evica Marković20 August 2026A few hours after the performance Multitud, I caught myself thinking only about the people I had met on my way to the theatre — about the families sitting on the grass by the lake, the children running between the food stalls, and the elderly couple who, holding hands, waited patiently for some other performance to begin. Maybe that is exactly why I come to Theater Spektakel every year…
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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.