“The Luxembourg Embassy hosted about four thousand five hundred (4,500) visitors,” said Ambassador Sylvie Lucas during the brief introduction remarks before the “Photo-Concert” with live piano improvisation by Maurice Clement on Sunday, 28 May 2017 in Washington DC.
The concert was an opportunity to present Luxembourg through the camera lens of Raymond Clement. With sincerity and warmth, Ambassador Lucas assisted by her entire staff succeeded in grasping this opportunity as temperatures begin to rise in Washington and as summer travel plans are being finalised.
The large number of visitors to the Luxembourg Embassy was during the European Month of Culture in Washington as part of the European Union’s ‘EU in the US’ initiative. During the month of May, the EU Open House initiative enables embassies of countries like Luxembourg to open the doors to the public on a Saturday typically between 10:00 to 16:00.
The open house gives visitors valuable information about the culture, food and history of each participating country. It also whets the appetite for travel and embarking on a journey abroad. Even for the well-travelled, the open house provides an opportunity to learn something new about countries like Luxembourg.
Landmark events such as the “European Month of Culture,” require a lot of hard work, preparation and coordination. Cultural Tourism DC in partnership with EU Delegation to the United States and member country embassies – with leading effort by Embassy Liaison Jan Du Plain – organise an exciting Saturday every year which highlights the beauty of Washington nor matter what the headlines of the day say.
Among the prominent guests at the Photo-Concert were Minister Takuya Sasayama, Head of Chancery, Embassy of Japan, and Ms. Katherine H. Moss, Director General, The Consular Corps. This memorable event at the Luxembourg Embassy also drew loyal friends of Luxembourg among which were many other diplomats, business leaders, academics and neighbours, not to mention former US ambassadors to Luxembourg. Through Raymond Clement’s photography, the audience was able to roam “through valleys and over hilltops, in search of their numerous faces and facets.” The natural beauty of Luxembourg greeted the audience with each piano key pressed by Maurice Clement with his masterful performance as the scenery changed from season to season - spring, summer, autumn and winter. The audience saw snow, wind, rain showers, waterfalls, insects, horses and all; it was just a marvelous experience for everyone in the beautifully decorated of the elegant embassy business.
The ‘Bitter Years’ photo-concert on 18 May 2017 brought back the memories of hard times - during the Depression in US – through the magical fingers of Maurice Clement on the piano. This concert displayed the images collection created “in 1962 by Luxembourg native Edward Steichen for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, the documentation of rural America during the Great Depression by the Farm Security Administration is today housed permanently in the Waassertuerm+Pomhouse in Dudelange, Luxembourg.“
Like many of the Embassy events, Deputy Chief of Mission Véronique Dockendorf as well as Counsul Stan Myck, assisted by Social Secretary Elisabeth Herndler, joined Ambassador Lucas in strengthening the cultural ties with Luxembourg’s friends in Washington.
