On Friday evening, a total of 200 members and friends attended AMCHAM Luxembourg's Thanksgiving Dinner at the Hotel Le Royal in Luxembourg city centre.
With the ballroom tastefully decorated in American colours, with a number of tables sporting corporate sponsorship, Paul Schonenberg, AMCHAM Chairman, welcomed everyone including the Ambassadors of the US, Britain and Belgium, and Guy de Meuser. He acknowledged the event sponsorship by POST Luxembourg, the gifts distributed by Swarowski Kirchberg and the tombola prizes donated by a number of organisations including Autopolis, Lufthansa, Luxair, Air Canada, Brussels Airlines, United Airlines and more.
In introducing the US Ambassador to Luxembourg, David McKean, Paul Schoneberg thanked him for his charm and leadership. Amb McKean said how wonderful it was to be here on this cherished holiday of Thanksgiving, referring to a difficult week just passed. He stated "all you need do on Thanksgiving is to eat a lot of good food and celebrate with family and friends... Lincoln's proclamation during the civil was was to cement the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving", to be celebrated on the same day in all states - up to then it had been celebrated on different days in differnt locations. He said "this year the annual celebration of Thanksgiving could not come at a most important time.... There is a lot for which we should be thankful". He asked everyone to celebrate the diversity of America and Luxembourg, and wished all a happy Thanksgiving.
Paul Schonenberg infirmed those attending that Amcham membership was made up of 30% American, 20% Luxembourgish and 50% all other nationalities, ensuring a melting pot of membership.
After the starter of pumpkin soup, guest speaker Claude Wiseler, leader of the CSV opposition party in parliament, recollected being at a university in Michigan a while ago where he talked about Luxembourg being a small country not only surviving in a large world. He referred to Luxembourg attracting 10-15,000 new jobs annually and the country dealing with a demographic growth and productivity which some describe as a luxury discussion.
Claude Wiseler stated "We should be lucky having an opportunity to have such a discussion; we have to take care and have a sustainable social structure and keep the finances in order. We should prepare the growth to be able to see the negative points." He also referred to a shared economy, a circular economy, and stated that we need to find out how to organise the country's infrastructure, including traffic management.
He referred to almost 50% of population being non-Luxembourgish and stated "We are proud of multi-culturism but need to take care of it over the next few years". Referring to the negative result in the referendum, he stressed it was not a negative point towards non-nationals; and that Luxembourgers are proud of their language and multilingualism, and asked the people not to misundestand the result. He acknowledged that foreigners have helped build up Luxembourg to where it us today. The integration policy in Luxembourg of the last few years had been a success. "Our identity is about being proud", and referred to openness and having solidarity.
He referred to his proposing a bill to make Luxembourg nationality a bit easier to obtain, which is to be voted on by parliament in a few weeks' time. He concluded by thanking AMCHAM for inviting him here this evening.
Following the main course of turkey - which was paraded in to the centre of the ballroom by the chefs prior to being carved - and all the trimmings, the tombola was held and a presentation was made to Guy de Meuser of a framed American flag that had been flown at the American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg-Hamm. In his acceptance speech he asked that the gift be accepted on behalf of all Luxembourgers and jokingly confessed he does not have a flagpole at home...
The dessert of Pecan pie was followed by entertainment by Marco Boesen & Co, mainly easy-listening music during the meal and more up-tempo tunes to dance the night away...
Thanksgiving proper will be next Thursday, 24 November
Photo (above, L-R): Paul Schonenberg, AMCHAM, British Ambassador John Marshall; Belgian ambassador thomas Antoine; US Ambassador David McKean; Claude Wiseler, CSV member of parliament; Guy de Meuser
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