Luxembourg American Foundation Launched at Luxembourg-American Experience Expo and Banquet

On Friday 23 May 2025, the Hotel Parc Alvisse in Luxembourg-Dommeldange hosted a Luxembourg-American Experience Expo and Banquet held during the visit of a group of 68 Luxembourg Americans who are on a visit to the Grand Duchy organised by Luxembourg Adventures by Kevin Wester.

Normally such annual group visits comprise around 35 participants; talking with Chronicle.lu, Kevin Wester explained that this year’s group is double the size as they are taking in the 400th jubilee of Our Lady of Luxembourg and the 250th anniversary of the Oktav religious festival, the parade of which the American group will participate and for which they have had a new banner specially made.

Lisa Jungers, one of the organisers with Kevin Wester, talked with Chronicle.lu and explained that the group had arrived the previous day into Brussels, and had lunch in the Grand Place of Belgium’s capital city before driving on to Luxembourg. Today, Friday, the group explored Luxembourg city centre by foot, including crossing the Pont Adolphe and the Golden Lady, before commencing a two-hour guided tour of the city (in four groups), including the royal palace, the cathedral, walking along the Corniche and down into the Grund. At Luxembourg city Bierger Centre (town hall), one group applied for Luxembourg citizenship (with an anticipated four month wait) and another group applied for passports (an anticipated three/four day wait); later one group visited the Casemates and another visited the city museum. And two members of the travelling group, Matt and Joanna, got engaged outside the Bierger Centre earlier in the day after he popped the question.

During the welcome aperitif, the three Luxembourg American religious banners were displayed (1892 - designed by Luxembourg’s noted military artist Louis Kuschman and embroidered by Luxembourg’s noted liturgical artist Sister Thérèse of Jesus Reuland (Carmelite), blessed at the Oktav American Luxembourger Mass on 14 May 1892, and carried in the Oktav procession for 74 years from 1892 to 1966; 1966 - designed and fabricated by German artist Ursula Kopf-Wending, blessed at the Oktav American Luxembourger Mass on 14 May 1966, and carried in the Oktav procession for 58 years since; and 2024 - designed by Luxembourg artist Jacques Schneider and to be blessed at the Oktav American Luxembourg Mass on 24 May and to be carried in the Oktav procession for the first time on 25 May), along with a number of information stands by organisations including the Luxembourg American Descendants’ Society, La Crosse (Wisconsin), Lux Dual Citizenship, the Luxembourg American Cultural Society (LACS), the Roots and Leaves Association Luxembourg, LuxRacines (genealogy portal), Miami University, Oxford (Ohio) and Lakeland University, Plymouth (Wisconsin).

In addition, a number of books and booklets were available, including the recently-published A Mother Who Consoles, a 28-page “A little American-Luxembourgish Songbook”, and The 2nd World War in Luxembourg

Another stand had information on educational exchanges between schools in America and in Luxembourg. Marc Zimer talked with Chronicle.lu and explained that students from Luxembourg lycées in Belval, Schengen and Clervaux had been in Wisconsin in April, and later in the summer, students from the Fieldgen school will visit Winona, Minnesota, and the Lenster Lycée to La Crosse in Wisconsin in August, students from Grevenmacher Lycée will visit Cedar Grove, Belgium, Wisconsin in September; also, in March, students from Sheboygan in Wisconsin visited Luxembourg in March at Schengen; and in June, Cedar Grove students will come to Grevenmacher.

After the welcome aperitif, the formal part of the evening kicked off with a video message by Mike Ansay, Honorary Consul of Luxembourg to Wisconsin, live from the lighthouse cupola in Port Washington, Wisconsin, USA. Guy Dockendorf, Honorary Senior Counsellor to the Luxembourg Government, then welcomed the 175-strong attendees, including the Luxembourg Ambassador to America, Nicole Bintner, Cardinal Hollerich, Jean-Claude Senninger, former Luxembourg Ambassador to America, Gaston Strong, former Luxembourg Ambassador to America, Carlo Krieger, former Luxembourg Ambassador to Brazil, Georges Calteaux and others. He talked about the origins of the Luxembourg American Cultural Centre in Belgium Wisconsin, and research projects into Luxembourg emigration to America, as well as educational exchanges.

After the three-course dinner, Kevin Wester, organiser, explained about the “Luxembourg - American Experience”, referencing the emigration almost 200 years ago and mentioning the 1892 religious banner. He also mentioned America’s support to Luxembourg during WWII, as well as various American companies setting up in Luxembourg. He also addressed the “visits home” of Luxembourg Americans to the Grand Duchy. He also mentioned Miami University in Ohio setting up the John E Dolibois European Centre in Differdange. He talked about Georges Calteaux and his role in cementing relations, as well as the building of the Luxembourg American Cultural Centre in Wisconsin, and Luxembourg stone houses in America. In addition, he talked about the investment by gener8tor in startups in Luxembourg, and educational exchanges. He thanked Luxembourg artist Jacques Schneider who designed the 2024 religious banner. He concluded by asking all to celebrate this precious heritage and perpetuate it.

Luxembourg’s current Ambassador to America, Nicole Bintner, then addressed the event, talking about celebrating the common heritage. She thanked the organisers for their passion, dedication, hard work and vision, mentioning Kevin Wester and Honorary Consul Mike Ansay. She also mentioned she is the 15th Luxembourg Ambassador to America, recalling it was in 1903 when Luxembourg started diplomatic relations with America. She also mentioned the liberation of Luxembourg by allied troops, which will be commemorated at the American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg-Hamm tomorrow, as well as the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. She also mentioned that, outside of the EU, America is by far Luxembourg’s largest trading partner. She concluded by talking about the importance of the diaspora and bringing people together, including sharing Luxembourg’s cultural heritage.

Marc Zimer, teacher and Roots and Leaves Association board member, called out the teachers from various schools in Luxembourg who were in attendance. He mentioned the educational educational exchanges which had taken place earlier this year snd which are planned for the coming months; with regular communication between the students involved, he praised the dialogue which he said was very important. A number of students from Luxembourg lycées were in attendance and had helped at the Welcome Desk and other tasks.

Carlo Krieger, President of the Roots and Leaves Association and former Luxembourg Ambassador, referenced the old stone houses and young people who can help bring new life to the work of the associations. He presented the Luxembourg American Experience Award to both Georges Calteux and to Mike Ansay.

Mike Ansay, Luxembourg’s Honorary Consul to Wisconsin, joined by live video feed and talked about the launch of the Luxembourg American Foundation which he said was an important collaboration with the University of Miami, the aim of which is to produce “global citizens” and continuing the cultural heritage. A short video entitled “Ties that Bind” about Luxembourg’s heritage in America was shown, advocating the Luxembourg America Experience and setting the scene of the Luxembourg American Foundation.

The evening concluded with a band performing a number of songs with the lyrics printed in the publication “A little American-Luxembourgish Songbook” - comprising 20 American and 17 Luxembourgish songs - with some guests participating in a sing-a-long and others up on the dance floor.