(L-R) Marc Thill, Vice-President of Agence de Bénévolat; Hortense Deitz, Maredoc; Marie-Josée Weber, Maredoc volunteer; Martine Mergen, President of Agence du Bénévolat;
Credit: Agence du Bénévolat
A celebration of Luxembourg's volunteer community took place on Wednesday 5 December 2024, on the occasion of International Volunteer Day, at the CELO Cultural Centre in Hesperange.
The event was held under the patronage of Luxembourg’s Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, supported by the Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, and the Œuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte. The Volunteer Agency (Agence du Bénévolat) organised this event to highlight the impact of volunteer work on people's lives.
Dr Martine Mergen, President of the Volunteer Agency, and Luxembourg’s Minister of Family, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, Max Hahn, inaugurated the ceremony.
In their opening speeches, they stressed the importance of volunteering for social cohesion and paid tribute to the many volunteers who are involved in volunteering in Luxembourg. "Our platform is a real success story. So many people are interested in the missions offered and want to get involved with more than 3,000 volunteer help proposals," explained Dr Mergen.
The 2024 Merit Award (Prix de Mérite) for Volunteering was awarded to Marie-Josée Weber, for her long-standing commitment to low-threshold services and improving the quality of life of vulnerable people, who said: "I started 37 years ago. It all started with four sisters of the Christian doctrine in Eich. Later, when they moved to a retirement home (Maredoc), I followed them and continued to visit them. At the time, I didn’t see it as volunteering, but simply as a way to help and give joy to others. Receiving this award today is overwhelming for me. It will probably take me a few days to fully realise it."
Five organisations received the Label de Qualité Bénévolat (Volunteer Quality Label), a symbol of excellence and commitment in the field of volunteering. This year's winners were:
- FNEL - Scouts & Guides Lëtzebuerg;
- Fondatioun Kriibskrank Kanner;
- Yolande asbl (Institut St. Joseph - Elisabeth Handicap);
- Trisomie21 Lëtzebuerg asbl;
- SOS Détresse asbl.
The Special Prize (Prix Spécial) 2024 was presented to the CHL initiative "Mir kënnen Iech hëllefen" (We can help you), for its support of hospitalised patients and their visitors. Dr Mergen explained: "This project fills a gap for which neither hospital plans, nor staff, nor health insurance funds are responsible. I saw it myself - it's a small, welcoming stand at the entrance to the hospital, where a friendly and competent person helps people find their way."
Gaston Ternes, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fondatioun Kriibskrank Kanner, gave a speech entitled "Den Engagement: vun der Motivatioun zur Aktioun" (Commitment: from motivation to action), in which he highlighted the transformative power of volunteering and encouraged the audience to transform their personal motivations into concrete actions.
In parallel with the ceremony, the Volunteer Agency reported it is continuing its "Ech si Benevole" (I am a volunteer) campaign. This initiative highlights the diversity of volunteering and invites everyone to get actively involved in making a difference.
