Luxembourg's embassy in Washington DC, USA;
Credit: Chronicle.lu
On Saturday 10 May 2025, the embassies of all 27 EU Member States present in Washington DC, USA, participated in the 2025 edition of an EU Open House initiative, held at 23 separate locations, with Ukraine also involved as a partner venue.
Promoted as a “fun day of music, food, culture and more”, the EU Open House event enabled members of the public to gain access inside the embassy buildings; this annual tradition honours Europe Day on 9 May, celebrating the signing of the Schuman Declaration in 1950 which laid the foundation for the European Union we know today.
The Luxembourg Embassy (on “Embassy Row” along Massachusetts Avenue) welcomed over 2,700 visitors who could explore the ground floor of the four-story villa, with various displays and information stands, including an indoor garden display celebrating the Luxembourg Urban Garden (LUGA) exhibition just launched in the Grand Duchy and open until 18 October. Not only did it include visual displays (including orchids, honouring the merits of Europe’s greatest orchid collector and grower of the mid 19th century, Jean-Pierre Pescatore, a native of Luxembourg city) but it also had a garden soundtrack playing, featuring songbirds, providing an immersive experience, with many visitors posing for photographs.
A table display featured Villeroy & Boch china, as laid out for formal dinners; and a large number of photographs and information panels attracted the attention of visitors who were hungry for information on the Grand Duchy, including the Grand Ducal family, historical facts, tourism information, personalities and well-known people of Luxembourg descent/heritage.
The audiovisual component involved the screening of Geoff Thompson’s documentary film ”Luxembourg in America” which addressed the emigration of over 60k Luxembourgers in the mid 19th century to America’s mid-west, and the preservation of Luxembourg’s cultural heritage in the US, including coverage of the 38th annual Luxembourg Fest in Wisconsin (the documentary film had also been screened earlier in the week at the Luxembourg Consulate in New York City, with an invited audience of 70 Luxembourg nationals and friends of Luxembourg).
As visitors left the embassy building they were offered freebies, including Ferrero Rocher and Kinder Bueno chocolates (Ferrero is headquartered in Luxembourg), Ramborn cider and juices, as well as grilled mettwurst (with Luxembourg mustard), provided by importers Ansay International who were also present with a stand.
All visitors could have their “passport” stamped upon entry, with many trying to get as many passport stamps as possible during the six-hour event. Students from the Washington International School had volunteered to help out at the Luxembourg Embassy, supporting the embassy staff throughout this extremely busy day.
The building housing the Luxembourg Embassy in Washington DC was initially purchased by Grand Duchesse Charlotte in the 1940s when she was in exile during the Nazi occupation, and was subsequently sold to the Luxembourg state who now uses it as its embassy, with Nicole Bintner-Bakshian the current Luxembourg Ambassador to America. Talking with Chronicle.lu, she stated: "Opening the doors of our historic Embassy in Washington DC is a great opportunity to showcase Luxembourg’s diversity and highlight the enduring ties with the United States. This year, we are proud to spotlight LUGA and to feature the Luxembourg diaspora in the United States with a compelling film by Geoff Thompson, and, of course, to share some of our beloved Luxembourg food and drinks - the true secret to good mood and great memories. The EU Open House Initiative is a remarkable platform that allows the American public to experience the richness and diversity of European cultures first-hand - it has truly become a fixture in Washington DC’s social calendar".
The Luxembourg Consulate building in New York City also has a fascinating history, having been the home for many years of Irving Berlin, the famous composer.
