City of Lucerne honors Jones-Strebi and Haefliger
The Lucerne City Council awards the badge of honour at irregular intervals in recognition of the work of individuals who have rendered outstanding services to the city of Lucerne. The most recent recipients are Ursula Jones-Strebi and Michael Haefliger.
Ursula Jones-Strebi has rendered outstanding services as a friend and patron of Lucerne Festival for decades, writes the City of Lucerne, "by being able to connect artists like hardly anyone else". As the daughter of the co-founder of the Lucerne International Music Festival (IMF), Walter Strebi, Ursula Jones-Strebi has built up and expanded a musical network practically throughout her life; she has generously made this network available to the Lucerne Festival.
Michael Haefliger has been director of the Lucerne Festival for 14 years. During this time, he has "modernized the festival, which until then had been perceived as elitist and at times conventional", the city writes further. Under his directorship, the Lucerne Festival has opened up musically and appealed to a wider audience. In doing so, it has been able to further expand its artistic aspirations as a leading festival.
The City Council will honor the achievements of the two honorees at the meeting of the Lucerne City Council on Thursday, January 30, 2014, and present them with the badge of honor at this ceremony.
