Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall Signs Up For ‘Gemengepakt’

On Friday 4 September 2026, Luxembourg’s Ministry for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees and the Syndicate of Luxembourg Cities and Municipalities reported on the signing ceremony for the “Gemengepakt vum interkulturellen Zesummeliewen” (municipal pact for intercultural living together).

According to the ministry, the signing on Thursday 3 September took place between the Syndicate for the Development and Management of the Mëllerdall Nature Park and Geopark, abbreviated to “Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall”, and the Minister for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, Max Hahn, in the presence of Syvicol representative Michel Malherbe.

In his speech, Minister Hahn congratulated the political representatives of the eleven municipalities that are members of the Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall – Beaufort, Bech, Berdorf, Consdorf, Echternach, Larochette, Nommern, Reisdorf, Rosport-Mompach, Vallée de l’Ernz and Waldbillig – on their commitment to living together and their recognition of diversity as a source of richness and an asset to Luxembourgish society. 

Minister Hahn remarked: “With the signing of the ‘Gemengepakt’, concrete actions can be developed to ensure that residents of your municipalities feel more ‘at home’ and actively participate in the social, cultural and political life of the region. My ministry will work closely with you throughout this process and offer municipalities the opportunity to exchange knowledge and learn from one another.”

By signing the “Gemengepakt”, the Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall is expressing its commitment to a multi-year process based on three pillars: access to information, the participation of all people who live or work in its territory, and the fight against racism and all forms of discrimination.

As part of this process, the Natur- & Geopark Mëllerdall is supported by the intercultural living-together advisers working at the ministry, in close cooperation with the contracted partners CEFIS and ASTI.

The “Gemengepakt”

The Law of 23 August 2023 on intercultural living together created the “Gemengepakt”, which contributes to implementing intercultural living together at local level.

Since the law on intercultural living together entered into force on 1 January 2024, 67 municipalities have signed the “Gemengepakt”.

The “Gemengepakt” is organised into thematic cycles, which take place in five stages:

⁃ political commitment;

⁃ assessment of the current situation;

⁃ citizen workshops to develop concrete actions;

⁃ implementation of concrete actions;

⁃ evaluation of the work carried out.

The implementation of the “Gemengepakt” is closely supported by the Ministry for Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees, its contracted partners ASTI and CEFIS, as well as five intercultural living-together advisers. They provide their expertise and share good practices among participating municipalities. Other partners, particularly local stakeholders, are encouraged to become involved and participate in designing and implementing intercultural living together within their municipality.

Within the framework of the “Gemengepakt”, various forms of financial assistance may be allocated to municipalities:

⁃ an annual grant capped at €30,000 per municipality to cover the costs of a municipal pact coordinator;

⁃ an annual grant of €3,000, €5,000 or €8,000 to cover the costs of implementing the municipal pact, depending on the number of municipal councillors; and

⁃ an annual grant of €5 for each resident of the municipality and each cross-border worker whose place of work is located in the municipality and who is a member of the citizens’ pact as at 31 December of the current year.

Further information about the Gemengepakt can be found at: https://gemengen.zesummeliewen.lu