Credit: MFSVA
On Thursday 20 June 2024, Luxembourg's Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees announced it recently held the launch event for the projects selected as part of the 2024 call for projects at the Luxembourg Center for Architecture (LUCA).
The event brought together project leaders, as well as representatives of civil society and other ministries.
Following the 2024 call for projects "Promoting intercultural living together" as part of the implementation of the law of 23 August 2023 on intercultural living together, four projects aimed at developing model modules within the framework of the citizens' pact (Biergerpakt) and the Intercultural Living Together Programme were selected for a total funding of €439,060.
During his welcome speech, Luxembourg's Minister for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, Max Hahn, stressed the importance of strengthening intercultural living together and supporting pilot projects in this area. These projects contribute to building a society where every individual, regardless of their origin and culture, can find their place, the minister noted. He thanked the project leaders for their commitment, thanks to which intercultural living together can become a tangible reality, in particular through the implementation of the Intercultural Living Together Programme.
The event allowed participants to discover the four projects selected for 2024 and to connect the various stakeholders involved in the implementation and monitoring of the projects selected in recent years, to create synergies leading to possible collaborations.
On 25 October 2023, the Ministry of Family, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception launched a call to finance projects promoting intercultural living together in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for the year 2024. The selected projects are starting now and will run until November 2025. They are available on the ministry's website.
The 2024 call for projects proposed two axes:
"Promoting the participation of cross-border workers": one of the new features of the law on intercultural living together is that it concerns anyone who resides and/or works in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Thus, cross-border workers are also targeted in the framework of the policy implemented. In this context, the call sought to support projects aimed at identifying the needs in terms of participation of cross-border workers and proposing activities promoting exchanges between cross-border workers and residents.
"Citizens' pact and Intercultural living together programme - Development of model modules": the law on intercultural living together also provides for the possibility for anyone who resides and/or works in Luxembourg to join a citizens' pact which gives access to an intercultural living together programme. The call aimed to finance projects which will make it possible to feed the said programme by proposing model modules. Projects seeking to create and train multiplier networks and developing tools that would facilitate the sustainability of the modules as well as modules that will be offered at the municipal or regional level were given priority.
The four selected projects:
ACAT (Christian Action for the Abolition of Torture): Project: Menschenrechte erlebbar machen (making human rights livable).
The project aims to address human rights through guided tours of the "Human Rights Trail Luxembourg". To make this trail more accessible, the project leader will develop audio guides in different languages, including Luxembourgish, French, English, Portuguese, Arabic, Ukrainian and Spanish, as well as in easy-to-understand language based on an existing German version. Participatory workshops will allow participants from different backgrounds to contribute to the guides and reflect on human rights.
A'Musée: Project: Creative café "De Fuedem deen eis verbënnt" (the thread that links us)
The creative café "De Fuedem den eis verbënnt" aims to create social ties in a rural canton by working on common projects. It will offer different modules:
- Upcycling sewing: explore repair, alteration, creation around projects intended for the community
- Plastic arts: create works of art for an exhibition inspired by local heritage
- Do it yourself: practice DIY, encourage mutual aid and learn about recycling and upcycling
Mir wëllen Iech ons Heemecht weisen: Projet: Bis am Bus (we want to show you our home; to the bus)
The "Bis am Bus" project seeks to create a place for intercultural encounters and exchanges, where encounters are no longer so easy. By collaborating with three municipalities, the project leader will develop a programme of intercultural workshops (modules) that takes into account the challenges and opportunities of each of these three municipalities. To attract the attention of the general population, a bus will be present at the launch to promote the workshops and at the closing where it will become the centre of an intercultural festival aimed at presenting the results of the workshops.
Openscreen: Project: Doc & Talk
The "Doc & Talk" project consists of organising 22 screenings (eleven films twice) of documentary films followed by debates on topics related to living together in different cinemas in Luxembourg. These viewing and debate sessions aim to foster the creation of links between different groups and improve mutual understanding.
