First Meeting on Luxembourg, Old Towns and Fortifications site deals with Tramway

The Management Committee of the “Luxembourg, Old Towns and Fortifications” site has held its first working session on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Since 1 December 2017, the World Heritage "Luxembourg, Old Towns and Fortifications" has been managed by Robert L. Philippart, Unesco Site Manager at the Ministry of Culture. Its mission is primarily to set up a management plan for the preservation, protection and promotion of World Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value.

A Management Committee has since been set up to accompany the site manager in his functions. This committee is directly associated with the Luxembourg Commission for Co-operation with Unesco and headed by Simone Beck, President of this Commission. It also prepares periodic reports on the management of the Luxembourg site at the World Heritage Committee in Paris.

The Management Committee brings together representatives of different administrations, ministries and departments of the City of Luxembourg. It also unites delegates from the sectors of trade, tourism, cultural associations as well as representatives of the unions of local interests to promote dialogue and transparency in the management of the historic urban landscape of the capital.

Secretary of State for Culture Guy Arendt attended the opening of the first working session of the Management Committee, where he emphasised the importance of this initiative: "The Management Committee brings together in a unique way, knowledge and know-how in heritage management and urban planning. Its composition makes it possible to act as a network. The advisory body thus offers potential for promoting the quality of urban life in respect of cultural heritage.”

The agenda of the first meeting of the work focused on the analysis of the "section B" of the construction of the Luxembourg tramway. This route crosses the World Heritage buffer zone from rue Notre Dame to the north of Place de Paris.