The “Minett Unesco Biosphere” project, which has been honoured by Unesco’s “Man and the Biosphere” programme in October, consists of eleven municipalities belonging to the Pro-Sud union: Bettembourg, Differdange, Dudelange, Esch-sur-Alzette, Käerjeng, Kayl, Mondercange, Pétange, Rumelange, Sanem and Schifflange.
With the announcement, Luxembourg joins a group of 714 reserves spread over 129 countries.
The Unesco site describes it as follows:
“Located in densely populated southern Luxembourg and bordering France, the biosphere reserve has the country’s second largest concentration of inhabitants and employment after the capital. It is home to more than 171,000 inhabitants, nearly one third of Luxembourg’s population concentrated over 200 km², approximately 10% of the country. The region has a long tradition of hospitality towards immigrants resulting in a multicultural, dynamic and cosmopolitan population of over 150 nationalities. Formerly a mining area, most of the mines in the biosphere reserve have been reclaimed by vegetation, creating a great variety of natural habitats.”
Video report in Luxembourgish:
