Over the past five years, applications for Luxembourgish classes at the National Language Institute (INL) have increased by a staggering 80%.
Our colleagues from RTL talked to some of the people that are currently registered with INL. Jimy is a French cross-border employee who has been working as a nurse in a retirement home in Kehlen for the past eight months. Once per week, he participates in a Luxembourgish course, to which he received access thanks to a cross-border language programme. Jimy is convinced that learning the language will help him get a better connection with the people living in the retirement home.
However, not only cross-border workers are interested in learning the language, more and more international people who moved to the Grand Duchy are starting to show enthusiasm. Maria-Grazia moved here from Italy in 2010 and has been taking part in Luxembourgish classes for the past one and a half years. Not too long ago, she also took the language exam to become a citizen. By now, she takes part in four classes on a weekly basis.
At the moment, close to 6,200 people are regularly participating in the INL's courses. Over the past five years, applications for Luxembourgish classes at the institute have increased by 80%, while the number of teachers has been raised from 33 to 53.
