The Cercle Culturel des Institutions Européennes (EU Cultural Circle) is the umbrella organisation for around 35 clubs and associations affiliated to the European Institutions in Luxembourg.
From music and theatre to chess and wine, there is a variety of clubs for individuals with different interests. Membership and participation in the clubs’ and associations' activities, is also open to people not working in the European Institutions.
In this series of articles, Chronicle.lu explores some of the different clubs and associations of the Cercle Culturel, including their main activities, interests, membership and events.
Next up is the Board Games Club, where Chronicle.lu talked with Mark Smith, Club Treasurer.
Chronicle.lu: When and why was the club founded, and what are its main goals and objectives?
Mark Smith: The club was founded in Nov 2012 and became part of Cercle Culturel in 2014 after being operational for the required time. Goals are simple: to provide a central forum to play a selection of board games, essentially adult strategy games. We have no specific targets, such as increasing membership by [a specific percentage] per year for example.
Chronicle.lu: What is the main language of the club and how many nationalities are members of the club?
Mark Smith: The main languages are English or French, but others can be applied. We have about 50 declared members, mostly from the various European institutions, hence EU nationals, but we do not specifically count nationalities.
Chronicle.lu: How often do you meet and where?
Mark Smith: We meet weekly in the Foyer europeén (rue Heine) on Wednesday evenings from 19:00 until approximately 23:00.
Chronicle.lu: What is your main target audience?
Mark Smith: Logically enough, anybody interested in playing board games but excluding chess and such like (in any case there is a separate chess club) and we are not involved in any video gaming. By way of example we often play games created by Stefan Feld, Friedeman Friese, Bruno Cathala, Bruno Faidutti, Antoine Bauza, Daniele Tascini, Simone Luciani and Carl Chudyk. Games recently played include Marrakesh, Paladins of the West Kingdom, Splendor, Mille Fiori, StarWars: The Clone War, Lorenzo Il Magnifico, the White Castle, Dune Imperium, Innovation, 7 Wonders and Five Tribes.
Chronicle.lu: How has membership grown over the years and has membership increased since Cercle Culturel began admitting members who are not working in EU institutions? What percentage of your members are not employed by the EU institutions (if known)?
Mark Smith: Membership has not significantly grown in general and non-EU participation remains low. I cannot give a percentage as we do not distinguish.
Chronicle.lu: What events are your club planning or participating in during the coming months?
Mark Smith: We participate in various games events, but essentially on an individual level and we have not organised any [as] such.
Chronicle.lu: How can someone who is interested in the club’s activities become a member?
Mark Smith: Easy. Just contact the club or its members and say you are interested and turn up at Foyer but let us know beforehand so we can give a name to the security 'gardienage'.
Chronicle.lu: Are there different classes/different levels for beginners through to more experienced members?
Mark Smith: There are no specific groups as such as it tends to be for experienced adult players but if we know that beginners or children would be coming, we can prepare and adapt the offerings.
