Zermatt (Switzerland) (AFP)

The Matterhorn, a legendary mountain on the Italian-Swiss border which rises to 4,478 meters, lights up every evening "as a sign of hope and solidarity" during this period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Hope" (hope in English), "Solidarity", Italian and Swiss flags, gigantic red heart on a white background ... Several images are thus sent by a projector located several hundred meters from one of the walls of this emblematic mountain that looks like a gigantic pyramid.

This action by Swiss artist Gerry Hofstetter, who transforms buildings, monuments and landscapes around the world into ephemeral works of art, is broadcast live by the municipality of Zermatt (zermatt.ch/hope) and must for the l 'instant last until April 19, the deadline for measures taken in Switzerland against the coronavirus.

"The idea is to do something fun for people around the world," director of the Zermatt Tourist Office Daniel Luggen told AFP.

"The Matterhorn is an important symbol for us, for Switzerland, a symbol that shines all over the world and when we light it up like that, we are convinced that it gives people hope", a- he added.

A kind of rocky tooth piercing the sky, the Matterhorn (Matterhorn in German) is one of the great peaks of mountaineering, known in particular for its north face, and usually attracts thousands of mountaineers each year.

Now, only a few barking dogs and the roar of a river break the silence of this steep valley where Zermatt is located, deserted by tourists due to the pandemic.

But the station wants to show itself "in solidarity" with all the people who are currently suffering and intends, through these illuminations, to thank all those who help to overcome this crisis like the nursing staff.

- Light and hope -

"Light is hope. So if you make a message with light in a situation like the one we are in now, you give that hope," artist Gerry Hofstetter told AFP.

"The Matterhorn was here before humanity existed. You can go back in history (...) when there were diseases, it was art that brought people together to find a better future. art can do that, "he said.

Reported by China to WHO on December 31, the new coronavirus has already claimed more than 46,000 lives worldwide.

Despite containment measures which concern one inhabitant of the planet on two, the balance sheets are getting heavier: more than 13,000 dead in Italy, 9,000 in Spain, more than 5,000 in the United States, 4,000 in France ...

In Switzerland, more than 430 people have died since the first case was detected on February 24. Switzerland, which has 8.5 million inhabitants, is the 6th most affected country in Europe for the number of people infected after Italy, Spain, Germany, France and the United Kingdom, according to WHO. This can be explained in particular by the fact that the Swiss Confederation is one of the most screened states in the world, with to date 139,330 tests carried out, of which 15% were positive.

The most affected Swiss canton is that of Ticino, bordering Italy. The Ticino flag is also projected onto the Matterhorn.

Faced with the pandemic, the Swiss government ordered the closure of schools, cafes, restaurants and non-food, health and basic necessities and prohibited gatherings of more than five people until April 19, however refusing to confine the population.

© 2020 AFP