On Tuesday 13 September, Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg visited refugee families in a centre for asylum seekers in Dudelange during the back-to-school period.
The Grand Duchess, who is also the President of the Luxembourg Red Cross, was welcomed by Dan Biancalana, the Mayor of Dudelange, and Yves Piron, the Director of the Luxembourg Office for reception and integration (OLAI), as well as the Deputy Managing Director of the Red Cross, the Head of the Department of Schooling for International Children, the manager of the refugee centre, and the Communal Coordinator for the reception and accompaniment of international asylum seekers. Two refugee children also welcomed Her Royal Highness by presenting her with a bouquet of flowers.
Following a guided tour of the centre, the Grand Duchess met with families from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, discussing with them their journey, their integration in Luxembourg and, most importantly, their children’s schooling.
The visit ended with a friendly gathering in the centre’s garden where everyone tried various snacks prepared by the residents themselves.
Like every other child in Luxembourg, the thirty-three children and teenagers between the ages of three and sixteen living in the refugee centre are preparing to go back to school. The centre for international asylum seekers, established on the former site of ARBED in Dudelange, first opened its doors on 1 March 2016 and currently houses seventy-four people, including thirteen families and twelve men who have come alone.
