Marc Sway hit the right note at the National Summer Games

Inclusion didn’t need to be explained at the Olympic Village on Saturday evening - it was experienced: with disco, indie pop, a conga line -  and plenty of heart.
 

On this evening, a phrase didn't sound fatalistic, but rather like the art of living. " Es chunnt eso wie’s chunnt, schlimmer gaht immer, aber besser ebe au” (It is what it is, things can always get worse, but they can also get better). That's the refrain of the catchy tune that musician Marc Sway adapted for the National Summer Games in the Canton of Zug. And the crowd sang along. Rarely did a song lyric fit a festival ground better, where experiences from the day are shared, volunteers hug each other, athletes dance, and grand words are simply lived.

The evening began with DJ Fabian. After the award ceremonies and the outstanding performances, what's needed isn't a noisy show, but a beat that brings everyone together. DJ Fabian, who is himself disabled, created music that loosened up feet and brought smiles to faces, mostly with hits from the 70s and 80s. A unique blend of village festival, pop-up disco, and family celebration unfolded between the picnic tables and food stalls, under the pavilion roof – something that you normally can't simply call up.

Organisation Committee President Eliane Müller was also at the festival grounds: "Basically, the athletes are our target audience. If it works for them and for the local community, then we've done everything right." That's why they created a diverse programme over the days. "The athletes love ‘Schlager’ music, they love disco, they love music." And Marc Sway always announces that he's not playing a concert, but rather, "we're having a party together."

Full attention even during quieter songs
Before Marc Sway, the stage belonged to Janalynn - Jana Stadelmann from Unterägeri performed with her young band. Her German-language indie pop brought a different feel to the evening: less carnival glitz, more introspection. "It was absolutely fantastic," says Stadelmann afterward. "The audience was great, so many people!"

Did she experience this concert differently than usual? "No, I get just as much love back." There was even attention during the quieter songs,. Then she laughs with the matter-of-factness of a young woman currently in her final year of high school: at events like this, even the "hot" crowd is just a bit cooler.

Organisation Committee President Eliane Müller: "The athletes love ‘Schlager’ music, they love disco, they love music."               
Singer Jana Stadelmann: "So much love comes back."     
SRF presenter Nik Hartmann: "It's not a sporting event, it's a demonstration."       Photo: Andréas Härry
Marc Sway wrote a song especially for the National Summer Games.       
A participant poses with two police officers
Martin Bütikofer, former director of the Swiss Museum of Transport, with his wife Katharina
Photos: Jan Pegoraro
 

Nik Hartmann has been committed to inclusion for years
Between the performances, the Zug TV personalities Nik Hartmann and Tobias Hotz kept the evening going. Nik Hartmann, who has been involved with inclusion for years and spoke as a father of a child with a disability, didn't provide a PR formula for the Games, but rather a statement that resonates: "It's not a sporting event, it's a demonstration."

He didn’t mean a loud protest against something, but rather an indication of visibility, normality, and the attempt to eventually make the word "inclusion" so superfluous that it no longer needs to be carried around like a shield.

A conga line for Marc Sway
Then Marc Sway appeared with his seven-piece band. Soul, pop, Brazilian pulse, a powerful voice, open arms. Marc Sway knew that this stage doesn't tolerate distance - his introductions were personal, warm, never ingratiating. He played hits like "Hemmigslos liebe" (Uninhibited Love) and "Severina," letting the rhythms flow, drawing the audience in. At one point, a conga line even paraded in front of him. That's likely a first in his genre of music, but many things were possible for the first time here.

The festival grounds were packed. Many Zug residents joined the festivities, even those not officially participating in the event, and the locals enjoyed the summer evening. Among the guests were Martin Bütikofer, former director of the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne, and his wife Katharina. They enthusiastically remarked that the "People from Zug really know how to organise fantastic events." Praise from an expert.

When Marc Sway sang the refrain again, it was clear why this song works. "It is what it is" wasn't a shrug of the shoulders this evening. It was an invitation: Take what comes. Look at who's standing before you. Dance when the music starts.