Last Friday, around 1,200 young people from 14 European Schools from across Europe came together for a night out in Luxembourg.
This was the first evening in the Grand Duchy without any significant COVID measures remaining in place - after two long years, people no longer had to wear masks in most public places.
Two years of constant testing, quarantine, isolation, vaccination, masks etc. came to an end (for now) … this week is also the first where I can properly see the faces of some of my classmates again, after such a long time.
The 'Euronight' Party was a huge event, including an Oscar awards ceremony, a red carpet for everyone and a lot of food and drinks of course. Den Atelier, who provided the venue, has clearly not forgotten how to take care of such crowds.
As Nadia from Luxembourg put it:
“I loved the layout of the place and the atmosphere!”
Tickets were hard to get, and I feel really sorry for those who weren’t lucky enough to get one despite all their efforts. As my friend put it: “I trained a whole day to be quick enough to fill in the document in order to get a ticket….”
What does this show? It could indicate that the ticket allocation could have been organised differently (maybe with an open lottery?) but more importantly, it shows desperation: the desperation that people have developed after those challenging Covid times and now, in light of the war in Ukraine, the desperation that leads us teenagers to clinging on to this little bit of normalcy that should be self-evident for people our age.
But who are we to complain? We are more than aware of what other young people (and others, too!) have to go through at the moment. Connected through social media, we are in touch and aware of the atrocities that are going on in Ukraine. With this party, where many, many, people with different nationalities, possibly even including Ukrainian and Russian teenagers, partied together, we are sending a little signal:
THIS is how it should be for you, and for all of us, to be able to live together in unity and in peace. We send you all our strength.
You should be here with us today and celebrate life!
As Emily from Brussels stated:
“Going through with having a party after Covid gives us a sense of normality and also the chance to catch up on normal teenage experiences that we missed out on due to lockdowns and quarantines.
It gives a positive signal during these times of war, as it provides a situation where we can all come together as the newer generation in Europe and that despite our different backgrounds, we can always relate to each other and find similarities in our experiences and opinions…”
Emiliy (on the left) and friends
Javier from Alicante also enjoyed the event:
“Euronight was a good place to forget about everything else that is going on in the world at the moment. Also, it is a great opportunity to meet or connect with new people and make friends from all over Europe.”
Thanks a lot to everyone who was involved in organising this very special event!
© Lea
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By Jade Berndt. I am very interested in History, Economics and Philosophy and how everything links together. I believe that in order to change things, you have to make your voice heard, for example through writing and social engagement.
Teenage Truth is a series about my thoughts and experiences on being a teenager in Luxembourg.
Young Voices
Young Voices is a new section on RTL Today, brought to you in collaboration with local English schools and sections, but open to any young person who wishes to share their thoughts with our audience. We accept written articles, photography projects, video, and audio works, and our editors will provide help and feedback through the process of crafting your submission. If you or a young person you know wants to get involve, get in touch via youngvoices [at ] rtl [dot] lu.