Several members of the Luxembourg royal family joined around 1,500 people in showing their support for those struggling with learning difficulties at an International Forum on the subject which was held at the European Conference Centre on Saturday.
Among them was Prince Louis, who spoke of his own battle with dyslexia which left him feeling frustrated and helpless. Diagnosed at the age of 10, Prince Louis said that the Luxembourg school system is currently not fully equipped to offer full support to students with learning difficulties, which prompted him to join the International School of Luxembourg (ISL) after completing his primary school education in Lorentzweiler.
But this looks set to change, with the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa exclaiming in her opening speech "We must break the taboo!". She explained that the Grand Duchy's perception and understanding of the learning difficulty was beginning to change, albeit at a slow pace.
Saturday's International Forum on learning disabilities was the first edition held, and was organised as a means of facilitating dialogue between all stakeholders, with a view to sharing best practices and innovative ideas in the field. The prevalent and indiscriminatory nature of learning difficulties was also demonstrated in the presence of Formula One driver Sir Jackie Stewart at the Forum, who also shared his experience of dyslexia. The three-time winner of the World Drivers' Championships, also known by his nickname the 'Flying Scot', dictated his autobiography due to his dyslexia, and spoke at the conference of how this learning difficulty had made him feel stupid at school due to lack of understanding from teachers and peers.
Photo by Cour Grand-Ducale/ Jean-Claude Ernst (L-R: Olivier Tasch; HRH Grand Duchess Maria Teresa)
