Eric Thill, Luxembourg's Minister for Culture;
Credit: © SIP / Claude Piscitelli
Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture has reported that Minister Eric Thill recently presented the progress being made on the action plan for the promotion of the Luxembourgish language to the relevant Chamber of Deputies (parliament) committee.
On Wednesday 15 January 2025, Luxembourg's Minister for Culture, Eric Thill, spoke about the implementation of the 50 measures outlined in this action plan.
He said: "The Luxembourgish language is a cherished heritage, a pillar of our identity and our coexistence. With concrete actions and strong visibility, we are making our language even more accessible to everyone. In implementing the action plan, we are also placing particular emphasis on the Luxembourgish language in everyday life."
The ministry recalled that intensive work is being carried out on methods and materials to teach the language to people who do not speak Luxembourgish "in a pleasant way" which is related to their profession. This applies in particular to the areas of healthcare, education, security, business and gastronomy. The first focus until now has been healthcare professions. Efforts are also being made to ensure that children and young people who did not start their school years in Luxembourg can learn Luxembourgish as a foreign language. In the vein of "learning Luxembourgish for everyone", Minister Thill highlighted the "exceptional efforts" of the Luxembourg National Institute of Languages (INLL).
The second focus is on the visibility of the Luxembourgish language, both in the Grand Duchy and abroad, with panels, a travelling exhibition and on the Internet. After its 23 stations in Luxembourg, the travelling exhibition will also be shown in the Greater Region, as well as in Brussels, Paris and Strasbourg. A permanent exhibition on the Luxembourgish language and language situation is also planned, with the aim of introducing visitors to the topic "in an attractive way".
Moreover, Minister Thill presented the MPs with the progress made in the field of research and development around Luxembourgish. The ministry noted that about 2,750 people view the Luxembourgish Online Dictionary lod.lu and 6,000 people use Spellchecker.lu every day. The Zenter fir d'Lëtzebuerger Sprooch (ZLS - Centre for the Luxembourgish Language) is working on additional digital tools that are expected to further strengthen the Luxembourgish language.
The ministry added that a lot of research is being carried out and stressed that people should be made aware of the results of this research. Therefore, the principle applies that all research should be made accessible to the general public "in an attractive way". In this context, Minister Thill has invited everyone to attend the presentation of the "Lëtzebuerger Wuertatlas 1900" (Luxembourgish Word Atlas 1900) by Alain Atten, which is taking place at the National Library of Luxembourg (BnL) on Wednesday 19 March 2025. In the autumn, there will also be the first Luxembourgish Language Day, which will see people discuss and celebrate Luxembourg's language and multilingualism.
