Luxembourg Hosts World Rescue Challenge for 1st Time

The opening ceremony of this year's "World Rescue Challenge" took place on Wednesday evening at the Grand Théâtre of the City of Luxembourg (Ville de Luxembourg - VdL); this is the first time that Luxembourg is hosting this event.

The World Rescue Organisation has been conducting the World Rescue Challenge every year since 1999. The aim of this event is to enable teams to enhance their skills and compete by performing under realistic conditions measured against recognised global standards.

From Wednesday 7 to Sunday 11 September 2022, Luxembourg's National Fire and Rescue Centre (Centre national d'incendie et de secours - CNIS) will be the venue for this edition of the World Rescue Challenge bringing together 288 rescue and emergency workers from seventeen countries, including 20 firefighters from the Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (Corps grand-ducal d'incendie et de secours - CGDIS) and a mixed team made up of members of the Greater Region's rescue services.

The rescue and emergency workers will compete during various exercises spread over four days and relating to personal and road rescue.

Sunday will also be dedicated to the second national day of civil security in Luxembourg. On this occasion, Boulevard de Kockelscheuer will be partially closed to traffic so that the public can discover the missions, equipment and daily life of firefighters and administrative staff. Access to both events is free of charge.

During the opening ceremony of the World Rescue Challenge on Wednesday 7 September 2022, Luxembourg's Minister for Home Affairs, Taina Bofferding, whose ministry actively supports this initiative, first welcomed and wished good luck to the participants of this 22nd edition. She went on to highlight the new challenges facing rescue and emergency workers, such as natural disasters, and paid tribute to their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.