LUGA 2023; Credit: Neumann Gusenburger

On Thursday 18 July 2019, the initial details of the first national horticultural exhibition in the Grand Duchy were announced by representatives of the Ville de Luxembourg and the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development, the two organisations that will co-finance the initiative that will take place from May to November 2023.

The national horticultural exhibition of 2023 is to be called LUGA 2023 and will reinforce the image of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg of a reliable, dynamic and open country. LUGA 2023 will show economic activities other than financial, innovative and diversified niches, specifically in the fields of agriculture, viticulture, the environment, ecological tourism and especially in the field of horticulture.

LUGA 2023 will be much more than a purely floral exhibition. It will be a magnificent showcase to represent the green heritage of Luxembourg in all its facets. As such, it will aim to improve the public perception of horticultural, viticultural and agricultural productions in the Grand Duchy as well as green crafts, while honouring its historical and cultural heritage. It will illustrate, among other things, the development of regional food with solidarity farming and urban gardening. Beyond these aspects, it will make us more aware of the place of ecology in our towns and villages through their green spaces, plantations, green rooves and facades, etc. Finally, themes such as environmental education, pesticide-free gardening and adaptation to climate change will inherently accompany this event.

Minister Romain Schneider stressed "The objective of this horticultural exhibition will be to show a different image of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and promote the agricultural sector, viticulture, horticulture, green crafts, ecological urban planning and recreational tourism. This is a great showcase for the Luxembourg horticultural and market gardening know-how with 500,000 potential visitors. The goal is also to reconnect people with nature, vegetable and fruit growing and urban agriculture to promote regional and seasonal food."

"The Ville de Luxembourg is proud to welcome on its territory the first major horticultural exhibition in the country" welcomed the mayor of the Ville de Luxembourg, Lydie Polfer. "The impact of a horticultural exhibition of this magnitude will certainly be very positive for the capital in terms of cultural and ecological outreach, as well as for tourism and commerce. The investments made in the framework of LUGA 2023 will not only increase the attractiveness of our city but also the quality of life of our citizens and visitors! This exhibition will certainly also leave traces in the minds and will give birth to a new sensitivity for the protection of the environment in urban environment."

LUGA 2023 will primarily take place in four main areas across Luxembourg city: Pétrusse valley, the Municipal park and Pescatore Park, the districts of Clausen, Grund and Pfaffenthal and on the Kirchberg plateau. It will in principle be free-of-charge to access.

• Nature and social: Municipal Park and Pescatore Park
Involvement of members of the public in the cultivation of crops on a voluntary basis, promotion of community gardens, events related to health and sport, school gardens, dynamic lighting
 
• Pure nature: Petrusse valley
Renaturation of the Pétrusse, biodiversity and ecology, beautification of the spaces around the main boulevards, animal welfare, use of water; decoration and modernisation of Aquatunnel lighting
 
• Nature and culture: Clausen, Grund and Pfaffenthal districts
Embellishment of the fortress, natural events in the Casemates - Florematten, vertical decoration of historic bridges, Mansfeld - events, musical installations, Events organieed around the theme of roses, lighting by sources of regenerative energies
 
• Nature and urban development: Kirchberg plateau
Arboretums, seeds, "urban greening", "vertical greening" and technologies of the future, green roofs and courtyards

The horticultural exhibition will be organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development and the Ville de Luxembourg, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture, the General Inspectorate of Finance and the Luxembourg Horticultural Federation.

A non-profit association has been formed between these parties to ensure the organisation and will be dissolved in 2025.

Currently, a vacancy announcement of a general coordinator of the LUGA 2023 non-profit organisation is in progress, with the application deadline being Friday, 2 August 2019 (see www.jobfinder.lu). The non-profit organisation will then hire three additional employees.

While the four main areas will be at the heart of the exhibition, other initiatives across the city's neighbourhoods, and also across the country, will be able to join the LUGA 2023 programme as part of a participatory process. In autumn 2019, a call for participation will be launched to more than 200 interested associations, in order to organise workshops with potential project leaders. Only projects taking place in the designated territories will be eligible for co-financing according to a charter to be defined.

The overall budget of LUGA 2023 asbl amounts to €10 million, shared equally between the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development and the Ville de Luxembourg. This budget will be used to finance the staff, the administrative and operational costs of the organisation, the coordination of the LUGA including signage and information points, communication and public relations and the co-financing of certain eligible projects in the four zones / geographical areas mentioned above. Sponsorship and sponsorship packages will add to the necessary budget.

Projects in the Grand Duchy outside the four defined geographical areas, which will be part of the LUGA 2023 concept, will not be eligible for co-financing but may be part of the official programme.