Grand Ducal Family Supports Learning Disorders Forum

Photo: Lex Kleren / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

The Grand Ducal Family was out and about today in quite a force to attend the Grand Duchy's first forum on learning disorders, which, among other this, focused on ways to integrate students facing learning disorders into the mainstream educational system. The topic is close to the hearts of the family as Prince Louis was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of ten. The third son of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess spoke about his experiences during the forum.

He was supported for the event by Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, who also was the patron of the forum and gave the opening remarks, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie, Princess Tessy as well as Prince Sébastien. Also present for the event was Princess Margaretha. The sister of the Grand Duke has been the patron of Dyslexia International for many years. The forum was also attended, among others, by Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan of Jordan, daughter of the former crown prince, and Formula 1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart.

More pictures and information at Wort and Tageblatt.

Grand Duke Says Goodbye

Yesterday, Grand Duke Henri hosted two additional audiences apart from the one for the secretary general of the OSCE: Luxembourg's head of state also received Dr. Mark Entin as well as Juan José Gomez Camacho at the palais. The two gentlemen are respectively the outgoing ambassadors of the Russian Federation and Mexico and were received by the Grand Duke for the farewell audiences given for ambassadors when they leave office in a certain country.

Stéphanie Becomes President of Mudam

Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie will become the new president of the administrative board of the Musée d’art moderne Grand-Duc Jean, the Ministry of Culture announced today. The Hereditary Grand Duchess will follow in the footsteps of Jacques Santer, former Prime Minister of Luxembourg and former President of the European Commission, and head the seven members of the board. The Mudam, a museum of modern and contemporary art, is one of the best known museums of the Grand Duchy. It was opened in 2006 and the building dedicated to Grand Duke Jean.

Henri Celebrates Anniversary of Economic and Social Council

Photo: Christophe Olinger / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

This evening, Grand Duke Henri attended an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Conseil économique et social (CES). For the occasion he was joined by Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, the President of Parliament, Mars di Bartolomeo, and an array of other politicians. They were all welcomed at Kirchberg by the president of the CES Pascale Toussing, the lady in red.

The Grand Duchy's Economic and Social Council (ESC) was established by law on March 21, 1966. It's "the government's permanent consultative body in the area of economic and social policy. It is a forum for national tripartite discussion on economic, social and financial issues for which consensus-based solutions are needed. Its general mandate is the study of economic, social and financial issues concerning either several economic sectors or the entire national economy. The Council operates either on referral from the government or on its own initiative", or so my Google skills tell me.

Pictures of the evening at Wort.

Princess Nora Talks Special Olympic and FIFA Scandal

Photo: 1 FL TV

Princess Nora, sister of the Fürst, has given an interview to Liechtenstein TV station 1 FL TV. The interview mostly focused on the Special Olympics, a national version of which took place last weekend in the Principality, but also touched on the FIFA scandal and the problems a sport faces as soon as you can earn money with them. Princess Nora is the President of Liechtenstein's Special Olympics and also a member of the International Olympics Committee (IOC). 

The full interview can be watched at 1 FL TV.

Marie and Sophie Assist at Concert for the Red Cross

Photo: 1 FL TV

Already on January 10, Princess Marie and Hereditary Princess Sophie were among the audience of a concert by the Hofmusik Liechtenstein ensemble to benefit the Principality's Red Cross. The Hofmusik Liechtenstein is a group of musicians who play music from around the year 1712, the year the Princely Family bought the County of Vaduz. The concert took place at the Guido-Feger Saal in Triesen. A report about the concert can be viewed at 1 FL TV.

Guillaume and Stéphanie Attend Concert

Photo: Chris Karaba / Luxemburger Wort / Wort.lu

Today, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie visited the home for the elderly "Konviktsgaart - Résidence Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte" to assist at a concert organised by the by Fondation Ecouter pour Mieux s’Entendre (EME), or Listen to Better Understand. Guillaume and Stéphanie have been supporting the organisation all the way since their wedding donating 15,000 euros to the Fondation and attending concerts in December 2014 as well as May 2015.

Founded in 2009, the Fondation Ecouter pour Mieux s’Entendre aims to engage those who are largely excluded from cultural life, such as people in hospitals, nursing homes or prison. The Fondation works together with the Philharmonie Luxembourg and regularly organises concerts and interactive workshops all over the country for those who are not able to go to a concert hall.

Pictures of today are available at Wort.

Grand Duke Meets Secretary General of OSCE

Photo: Cour grand-ducale

This morning, Grand Duke Henri received Lamberto Zannier for an audience at the palais. Mr Zannier is the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, often bettern known as OSCE, the world's largest regional security organization which was founded in the 1970's. The Secretary General was on a working visit to the Grand Duchy.

Prince Wenzeslaus and "La Diva"

The French design label Emanuel Ungaro celebrated its 50th anniversary on Tuesday and Prince Wenzeslaus, second son of Prince Philipp and Princess Isabelle, reportedly joined the party of 600 guests at the Petit Palais in Paris. The design house used the occasion to also launch a new perfume called "La Diva".

TV Interview with Grand Duchess Maria Teresa

Photo: RTL

Grand Duchess Maria Teresa gave a TV interview to RTL talking about dyslexia in advance of Luxembourg's upcoming first forum on learning disorders. For example, she also talks about her experiences as a mother of a dyslexic child. Prince Louis was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of 10. The full interview, which was part of an edition of Kloertext, can be viewed at RTL (simply skip ahead to the 5:54 minute mark).