The proactive development of an overall sustainable and environmentally friendly cultural policy is only at its beginnings, although a number of cultural actors already take initiatives to this regard.
In 2020, the Theater Federatioun, Luxembourg theater federation initiated a specific working group on “Ecoresponsability and sustainability” [1] to exchange ideas and experiences and defining a list of measures that has been sent to all its members for further reflexion and further ecoresponsible gestures. It also developed a proposal for pooling sets, costumes and props from the performing arts sector, proposal that has been submitted to the ministry of Culture who started working on the possible development of this idea.
In the context of the revision of the definition of museums by ICOM and of the development of a new vision by 2025, the MUDAM also put together an exchange forum around key questions relating to environmental and technological transformation, social justice and inclusion.
Esch2022-European Capital of Culture focussed on the issue of sustainability in various ways:
- by dedicating one of the four main strands of the ‘Remix’ programme to Nature: Remix Nature “encompasses both an awareness of the historical development of nature in the southern region and a call to change the way we look at nature and approach it in a socially responsible way”.[2]
- by developing a Sustainable development charter, originating from a dialogue between many local actors and the ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development. Tying in with the UN 2030 Agenda and its 17 sustainability goals, the charter defines six objectives in view of shaping a sustainable future.
- by developing the ELO platform with the support of the ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development. It “provides access to the various thematic guidelines, while offering concrete examples applied to various projects”.[3]
Kulturfabrik is also very active with regard to the implementation of an ecoresponsible approach:
- by adopting an environmental charter in 2014 and taking concrete measures in terms of waste prevention, reuse and recycling, and reducing water consumption, an internal working group constantly evaluating the progress made.
- by being granted the “SuperDrecksKëscht fir Betrieber®” quality label in 2010 for its environmentally friendly waste management plan.
- by acquiring the “Green Club Index” label.[4]
Likewise, the Centre Culturel Neimënster received the ESR-Entreprise responsable label, an initiative that aims at promoting social responsability among national companies so that they contribute to sustainable development and improve their competitiveness and image.
Though not specifically targeted at culture, the Green Events project of the ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development is aimed at “reducing the ecological footprint of events organised in Luxembourg and therefore to promote eco-responsible events by informing, raising awareness and supporting organisers wishing to start organising eco-responsible events.” [5]
In a different vein, one should also mention the granting in October 2020 of the “Minett Unesco Biosphere” biosphere reserve label to the eleven municipalities of the Pro-Sud inter-municipal association in the framework of the MAB-Man and Biosphere programme. It underlines the region’s ambitions in terms of protecting its natural heritage.
[1] https://www.theater.lu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/20220330_FLAS_RAPPORTdACTIVITE_2021.pdf (page 8)
[2] https://esch2022.lu/fr/esch2022/remix-nature/
[3] https://esch2022.lu/en/sustainable-development-is-elo/
[4] https://kulturfabrik.lu/storage/app/media/Rapport_activites_2021.pdf
[5] https://www.greenevents.lu/le-projet/
Comments are closed.