(Front row, L-R) Tom Baumert, Head of Luxembourg Confederation; Max Hahn, Luxembourg's Minister for Family Affairs and Integration; Joanne Theisen, expert on the subject;
Credit: MFAMIGR
On Tuesday 26 September 2023, Luxembourg's Minister for Family Affairs and Integration, Max Hahn, and Luxembourg Confederation presented the concept and value of the "silent hours" initiative during a press conference at the Kirchberg Shopping Centre.
The Kirchberg Shopping Centre and the Cloche d'Or Shopping Centre, managed by Nhood, the Auchan hypermarket and participating retailers, launched the "silent hours", in partnership with the Fondation Autisme Luxembourg and IMS Luxembourg, earlier this year. This inclusive initiative aims to facilitate access to shopping centres and optimise the visit for autistic people, so they are confronted with as few stimuli as possible. In general, time slots have been created to ensure a more relaxed shopping experience and a calmer environment. During these periods, the lighting is dimmed and the background music is turned down. This initiative is designed to meet the needs of autistic people, people with mental health issues, sensory disorders or simply those who appreciate a calmer atmosphere.
"I would like to warmly thank everyone involved in this important initiative and for your commitment to a more inclusive society. Thanks to the introduction of the 'silent hours', you are creating calmer conditions for people with autism spectrum disorder and hypersensitivity," emphasised Minister Hahn.
Luxembourg Confederation is working to raise awareness of the initiative and to promote the idea of "silent hours" among its members and all retailers. As a next step, a brochure containing best practices and rules for implementing "silent hours", workshops and networking events on the subject will be launched. "We are raising awareness and promoting this project among our federations and among other companies," said Tom Baumert, Head of Luxembourg Confederation. "In this framework, we will support and accompany the federations to make their businesses even more accessible and inclusive. We are planning information workshops to present the project and can thus offer case-by-case accompaniment for the introduction of silent hours in interested shops."
Nhood, manager of Cloche d'Or Shopping Centre and Kirchberg Shopping Centre, is the first operator in Luxembourg to sign the official "Silent hours, I'm committed!" pledge with the Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region, the Fondation Autisme Luxembourg, the Fédération luxembourgeoise de l'Alimentation et de la Distribution and IMS, agreeing to reduce visual and auditory stimuli during fixed hours and to communicate and raise awareness among customers, staff and employees of the commitments made to respect the "silent hours".
For further information, companies can contact Luxembourg Confederation via email: info@confederation.lu.
Silent hours at Cloche d'Or Shopping Center: every Tuesday from 16:00 to 17:00 and every Thursday from 15:00 to 16:00.
Silent hours at Kirchberg Shopping Center: every Tuesday from 09:00 to 11:00 and every Thursday from 14:00 to 16:00.
