«Allegra» and Chalandamarz – for many Swiss, knowledge of the Romansh language and culture ends here. The Swiss Youth Hostels want to counteract this and make the fourth Swiss national language accessible and visible to their guests in an entertaining way. To this end, the Swiss Youth Hostels are presenting the Sutga Rumantscha to the public today, Tuesday 23 November 2021, at their wellnessHostel3000 in Laax.

The Sutga Rumantscha – the Romansh armchair – is an interactive and comfortable seat for getting to know the Romansh language. Via built-in speakers and a tablet, the chair gives curious visitors an understanding of the idiom of the locals. With interactive language tests, lots of interesting information about Romansh music and literature, as well as numerous other contents related to culture, history, culinary arts, art, architecture and famous personalities, the guests of the youth hostel get to know the Romansh language and culture in a playful and entertaining way. «Travelling means getting to know cultures – this is especially true within one’s own national borders. The Swiss Youth Hostels have always been committed to issues such as ‹education through travel› and sustainable tourism. And sustainability also includes the preservation of the Romansh language as a Swiss cultural asset,» says Janine Bunte, CEO of the Swiss Youth Hostels, also stating the reason why the non-profit organisation realised this armchair together with Groenlandbasel Architektur und Ausstellungen and the Lia Rumantscha.

A second armchair is off travelling

While the first Sutga Rumantscha has a permanent place in the lobby of wellnessHostel3000 in Laax, a second armchair is off travelling – after its first stop at Scuol Youth Hostel, guests at the youth hostel in St. Moritz are currently enjoying the cultural armchair. It can also be rented by interested parties outside the youth hostels for events, etc.

The Sutga Rumantscha project was proposed and conceived as part of the design concept of wellnessHostel3000 by Groenlandbasel Architektur und Ausstellungen. The content was realised in cooperation with the Lia Rumantscha, the umbrella organisation of all Romansh language associations, and the Swiss Youth Hostels. The chair was financed thanks to widely supported sponsorship. The innovative and sustainable project also convinced the Quarta Lingua, which has been promoting Romansh culture and its dissemination since 1972.Therefore they have won the CHF 10'000 contribution which was handed over at the presentation in Laax.

Press release (PDF)