“Terradura – Switzerland’s Deep Geological Repository Switzerland”: as of today, the project of the century of deep geological disposal goes by this name. In an online vote, the name prevailed against four other final candidates. The Swiss population originally submitted over 3,000 name proposals.
National participation process
In recent weeks, Switzerland’s citizens voted on the name that will shape future communication on the nation’s deep geological repository. “Namensforum Tiefenlager Schweiz”, the forum tasked with naming Switzerland’s deep geological repository, organised this national participation process.
Nationwide, anyone interested was invited to contribute their ideas online. The jury of the naming forum selected five out of the more than 3,000 proposals submitted for the final online vote.
The final five candidates were: ATLASuisse, Peradina, Stadelnova, Soluterra and Terradura.
Clear outcome
- Terradura 39,4 %
- ATLASuisse 23,4 %
- Soluterra 17,8 %
- Peradina 12,5 %
- Stadelnova 6,9 %
The name comes from “terra dura”, which can be translated as “solid earth”.
Prior to the voting process, the naming forum had already decided that the winning name would be affixed with the descriptive title “Switzerland’s Deep Geological Repository”.
Easing the process of connecting with a complex project
The deep geological repository for radioactive waste is a project of the century and affects the region around Stadel in the Zürcher Unterland (the northern part of Canton Zürich), Switzerland as a whole and, in the long term, future generations.
A name is an intuitive entry point – and a means to ease the process of connecting to a complex project long before technical or political details take centre stage. “The process shows that participation is more successful when people can more easily connect with the project,” says Martin Künzi, representing the naming forum. “A name creates an initial point of contact with a topic that is otherwise difficult to connect with.”
How the repository got its name
Between August and September, the naming forum received 3,395 name proposals. As the jury, the forum then reviewed all proposals on the basis of the criteria communicated within the framework of the contest: comprehensibility, conciseness, depth of meaning and pertinence in all of Switzerland’s national languages. The jury members also provided feedback from their respective networks. In a consensus-oriented process, five names emerged with the greatest potential to suitably accompany this national project: ATLASuisse, Peradina, Soluterra, Stadelnova – and Terradura.
The subsequent voting phase was used by all of Switzerland’s citizens – with a higher turnout from German-speaking Switzerland (85%), but also a noticeable amount of votes from the French- and Italian-speaking regions (15%). The most popular proposal, “Terradura”, will be used in future communications along with the informative affix “Switzerland’s Deep Geological Repository”.
The name Terradura will be gradually introduced when communicating about the repository over the coming weeks and months. The naming process has now been completed – the public, technical and social discourse on Switzerland’s deep geological repository will continue.
Jury members:
Dominik Bonderer
Head of Communications, Building Department, Canton Zürich, representing the Cantonal Commission and the siting canton
Reto Grossmann
Municipal Councillor, Stadel, Regional Conference
Martin Künzi
Moderation (Mosaik & Partners)
Luca Rüedi
Citizen Representative, Regional Conference
Philipp Senn
Member of the Executive Board, Nagra
Lisa Stalder
Communications Specialist, Member of the Nuclear Waste Management Advisory Board
Thierry Strässle
Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, Member of Nagra’s Board of Directors
Patrick Studer
Head of Communications / Media Spokesperson, Nagra
Gabriela Winkler
Communications and Industry Expert, Regional Conference
Nagra’s role
Nagra is responsible for the planning and construction of the deep geological repository. The project to find a name for the planned deep geological repository is under the lead of the “Namensforum Tiefenlager Schweiz”, the forum tasked with naming Switzerland’s deep geological repository. Nagra is a jury member and bears the costs for the website and the moderation.
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