During a press conference on Thursday 18 September 2025, Luxembourg Minister for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, Max Hahn, the Executive Director of Info-Handicap – National Council for Persons with Disabilities, Christine Zimmer, and the Secretary-General of Horeca Luxembourg, Steve Martellini, presented the collaborative project “Bewosst”.
According to the ministry, the project aims to raise awareness of the needs of people with disabilities and strengthen their inclusion in everyday life, particularly in the Horeca sector. The organisers deliberately chose the name “Bewosst” (Conscious) to highlight the need for public awareness of the many barriers that people still face in everyday life. They noted that “raising awareness constitutes a crucial first step towards changing attitudes and considering individuals’ needs, however diverse they may be”.
Minister Hahn said: “Ensuring accessibility in public spaces and for certain products and services represents important steps. But inclusion must also address mental barriers and lack of understanding.”
Christine Zimmer highlighted the scale of the challenge and stated: “Fifteen per cent of residents in Luxembourg reported living with a disability in the last population census. Moreover, 80% of disabilities are invisible and their prevalence increases with age – sooner or later, it may affect us all. We must therefore intensify our efforts to provide information and raise awareness to improve understanding across the population – a key factor in achieving true inclusion every day. This project is therefore very important to us.”
Steve Martellini emphasised the sector’s role and said: “We sit at the heart of social life. Sharing a meal or a drink allows people to enjoy convivial moments. As sector professionals, we want to ensure a warm welcome for everyone and make sure that everyone feels included.”
Info-Handicap conducts workshops for sector professionals, focusing on the five types of disabilities (physical, visual, auditory, intellectual and invisible) to raise staff awareness and promote inclusive reception of people with disabilities. The team also produces educational videos to teach best practices when interacting with people with disabilities, including practical sign language gestures useful in hospitality.
On Monday 22 September 2025, the project will host a conference to inform and equip sector professionals to provide better services to people with disabilities. The conference will address questions about the accessibility of public spaces, products and services, quiet hours and inclusive service.
As part of the “Bewosst” project, the “Quiet Hours” initiative, organised in collaboration with the Luxembourg Confederation, will extend to cafés and restaurants on International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday 3 December 2025. The organisers said: “The sessions will provide a calm environment for people sensitive to sensory stimuli.”
Minister Hahn urged Horeca establishments to engage actively in this inclusive effort and said places remain available for the conference and associated workshops. He added: “By breaking down mental barriers, we pave the way for a society in which everyone can participate fully. Perhaps a better-informed restaurateur will hire a person with a disability, discovering previously unrecognised skills.”
