HRH the Grand Duke delivered his traditional Christmas message on Saturday 24 December, addressing the residents of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
He spoke of coming to the close of a tormented year but also of hope for days to come. "In spite of multiple crises of all kinds, humanity in general knows certain favourable evolutions. Life expectancy continues to grow dramatically, in other continents extreme poverty has declined in recent decades, science makes advances every day, overall household wealth increases, although their distribution remains very uneven. The "ecological imperative" is now widely shared, as evidenced in particular by the commitments made at the summits against global warming."
He talked of "a period of profound transition", the acceleration of globalisation, and wars and terrorist attacks, the influx of migrants, etc., which have raised questions about identity. "The trend is to reaffirm a need for protection and borders. It can also lead to withdrawal or simple answers to complicated questions. All this development is disturbing, because it carries divisions in our societies." He added "Public action can only respond with reason... it is capable of controlling <events>".
Regarding Luxembourg and referencing the October 2018 local elections and October 2019 national elections, he stated "As the next electoral consultations begin to take shape, I would simply like to express the hope that the public debate in Luxembourg will remain faithful to the moderation which has always characterised it. Personal attacks, low blows, excessive language, all this is not really part of our traditions. I believe that "peaceful democracy" will remain our model for the greater good of our institutions."
On the make-up of Luxembourg society and its population, he said "I am touched by the ability of our society to integrate every year newcomers who contribute to our economic development." He concluded by stating "The importance of social ties and family solidarity... Our social cohesion is the best asset to face the sometimes harsh challenges of today's world" and conveyed seasonal wishes to all.
Photo by Claude Piscitelli © 2016 Cour Grand-Ducale, all rights reserved
