On Thursday 18 January 2024, Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture launched a Call for Projects for gardens on the theme “the five senses in the garden”.
2024 will see the 5th edition of this initiative which will take place over a weekend, from Friday 31 May to Sunday 2 June 2024.
Designed to awaken the senses and introduce everyone to the variety and richness of gardens, the "Rendez-vous aux jardins" initiative highlights the art of the garden and gardening heritage. They underline their essential role for our well-being and our identity both in cities and in rural areas.
“The coalition agreement specifies that the government will support the promotion of historic sites and will ensure that the cultural specificities of the regions are valued. Historic gardens are an integral part of this historical wealth. The Ministry of Culture will ensure that it recognises the efforts of people and institutions who strive to preserve these sites. This is why we participate in the 'Rendez-vous aux jardins',” explained Eric Thill, Minister of Culture.
The Rendez-vous aux jardins initiative was launched by the European Heritage in Nature network which brings together European public administrations responsible for national policies and strategies in the cultural heritage sector. Thousands of stakeholders: gardeners, botanists and landscapers, plus private and public owners come together every year for this event. In 2023, 21 countries and 582 European gardens responded to the international call, 31 Luxembourg sites participated with 35 events attracting more than 3,600 visitors.
Placed under the theme of the five senses in the garden, the projects can be of multiple nature: open-air concerts, meditation and training sessions listening to the sounds of nature, olfactory, tactile and educational visits, product tastings of the garden, photo or drawing competition. These projects can give rise to new cooperation between garden owners and musical ensembles, players in the educational world, artists or gastronomes. Thanks to this collaboration the organisers will be able to offer a programme that is as rich as it is varied.
As part of its “Aid for cultural projects” policy, the Ministry is prepared to financially support events organised as part of the Rendez-vous aux jardins initiative. Sites participating in the 2024 Rendez-vous aux jardins will be able to display the event logo. Owners of public or private gardens, artists, teachers and commercial companies can submit their projects for participation in the programme up to 8 May 2024.
For details, see https://jardinsluxembourg.lu/en/ or email: robert.philippart @mc.etat.lu
