(L-R) Eric Thill, Luxembourg's Minister for Culture; Mathieu Lacombe, Minister of Culture and Communications of Quebec;
Credit: MCULT
On Friday 23 and Saturday 24 May 2025, Luxembourg's Minister for Culture, Eric Thill, travelled to Quebec City in Canada, at the invitation of Quebec Minister of Culture Mathieu Lacombe, to participate in the fifth Conference of Ministers of Culture of the Francophonie.
As reported by Luxembourg's Ministry of Culture, this meeting, organised by the Quebec government and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), brought together more than 40 states and governments around the central theme of cultural diversity in the digital age.
During several roundtable discussions devoted to various aspects of the online discoverability of Francophone cultural content, Minister Thill detailed, in particular, the perspectives and challenges in Luxembourg and within the European Union related to the visibility and digital accessibility of cultural creation and heritage.
During the discussions, the minister highlighted the efforts of the Grand Duchy and the Culture Ministry to ensure equitable access to culture through an "ambitious" digital cultural strategy, combining the digitalisation of cultural heritage, the establishment of skills networks and centres of expertise, and support for those involved in artistic creation.
Minister Thill highlighted the country's unique linguistic and cultural situation: "Cultural and linguistic diversity is at the heart of Luxembourg's identity. In the digital age, our duty is to ensure that this wealth remains accessible, visible and vibrant. This conference reminds us of the importance of acting collectively for an inclusive, innovative and supportive culture."
On the sidelines of the conference, Minister Thill met with his Quebec counterpart, Mathieu Lacombe. The two ministers discussed how to further strengthen political cooperation within the framework of the cultural cooperation agreement signed in 2021 between Luxembourg and Quebec. Accessibility and promotion of French-language artistic expression were central to the discussions.
Moreover, Minister Thill met with Véronique Fontaine, Marie-Pierre Dolbec and André Racette of the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec (CALQ). During this meeting, the Luxembourg Minister confirmed the importance and excellence of the existing relationships between the CALQ and Kultur | lx – Luxembourg Arts Council, with several projects currently under development. Minister Thill also spoke with CALQ officials about their experiences with regional cultural accessibility and decentralisation. He expressed particular interest in these initiatives, which align with the objectives of Luxembourg's future national plan for access to culture.
The Culture Ministry added that Minister Thill's stay in Quebec helped consolidate Luxembourg's position as a committed player in cultural multilateralism and international debates on cultural policies, convinced that culture occupies an important place in a multilingual digital environment and also plays an "essential" and "unifying" role in the current geopolitical context.
