On 3 September 2015, Luxembourg Minister of Culture, Maggy Nagel received Portuguese Secretary of State for Culture, Jorge Barreto Xavier, at the Culture and Development Conference organised under the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Subsequent discussions on the bilateral cultural relations between the two European countries placed particular emphasis on the exchange of artists in residence - a matter previously discussed by the politicians during Minister Nagel's visit to Lisbon earlier in the year.
Maggy Nagel and Xavier Barreto also exchanged views on how cultural projects could facilitate a different representation of the two countries, and ways in which Portuguese and Luxembourgish culture could depict another side to the country than is usually attributed to them.
The two politicians also spoke of broader European factors, including the forthcoming Council of Ministers this November, for which Luxembourg will be responsible under the current Presidency, as well as improving European-level exchanges in cultural contexts.
With a STATEC study revealing a Portuguese demographic comprising 16.4% of the overall population of Luxembourg, the meeting signified an important affirmation of ties between Portugal and the Grand Duchy.
Photo by Ministry of Culture (L-R: Portuguese Secretary of State for Culture, Jorge Barreto Xavier ; Luxembourgish Minister of Culture, Maggy Nagel)
