© MCULT
Luxembourg will mark 26 September, the European Day of Languages, by officially celebrating Luxembourgish through the newly launched "Dag vun der Lëtzebuerger Sprooch", held under the theme “Schwätz mat – Lëtzebuergesch verbënnt” (Speak up – Luxembourgish connects).
Earlier this year, Minister for Culture Eric Thill announced a series of key measures to promote the Luxembourgish language, highlighting its central role in the country’s multilingual identity and encouraging residents to speak it regardless of their level of fluency. He states: "[Luxembourgish] connects us to our history, our identity, and strengthens social cohesion."
According to this year’s programme, the Ministry will organise conferences, exhibitions, concerts, children's activities, and new publications aimed at promoting the language.
Minister Thill also expressed hope that people of all ages would benefit from the programme. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, efforts have been made to encourage schools to highlight the history of the Luxembourgish language as part of the day’s celebrations.
One idea includes a video campaign called “Five Luxembourgish Words (and Expressions) to Join the Conversation”, featuring everyday phrases such as "Äddi a Merci" (Bye and thank you), "gudden Appetit" (Enjoy your meal), "Wat e Gedeessems" (What a faff), "Moien, wéi geet et?" (Hello, how are you?), and “Quetschen och”, a playful expression roughly meaning “Yeah, right” or “As if”, for those who haven’t come across it yet.
The goal is to encourage people who may not use Luxembourgish in their daily lives to feel encouraged to give the language a try. Readers can find the full programme for the very first edition of the Day of the Luxembourgish Language here. Looking ahead, Minister Thill has already indicated that for next year’s edition, the public will be invited to contribute ideas for the programme.
