11th edition of the Group for Exchange and Support on Integration at Local level in Strassen

Political leaders, municipal representatives as well as members of the Municipal advisory committees on integration (future Municipal committee on intercultural living together) met face-to-face to discuss the topic "New legislative framework: law of 23 August 2023 on intercultural living together. Promoting intercultural living together at local level. Strengthening societal cohesion".

The 11th edition exceeded all the expectations of the organisers, with a record number of 200 participants, representing some 60 municipalities and 25 associations working to promote integration and intercultural living together, gathering in Strassen to attend the event. They were joined by the integration advisors (the future advisors on intercultural living together) and representatives from various ministries.

The meeting was opened by Nico Pundel, Mayor of the municipality of Strassen, who hosted the event at the Cultural Centre Paul Barblé in Strassen. Minister Max Hahn of the Ministère de la Famille, des Solidarités, du Vivre ensemble et de l'Accueil, and Louis Oberhag, Vice-Chairman of Syvicol, welcomed the GRESIL participants. Conny Heuertz from the Division du vivre-ensemble moderated the event.

After the initial welcome, Conny Heuertz and Anne Daems (Division du vivre-ensemble) presented the new law on intercultural living together, and Anna Kirsch (Division du vivre-ensemble) unveiled the new website for municipalities www.gemengen.zesummeliewen.lu. Finally, Lena Hartz from the Intercultural Agency of the Association de soutien aux travailleurs immigrés (ASTI) spoke about the paradigm shift from an integration approach to a broader and more open approach to intercultural living together.

During the second part of the GRESIL, the participants in Strassen had the opportunity to take part in practical workshops on the implementation of the new law on intercultural living together. They could choose between the following workshops: "Le pacte communal du vivre-ensemble interculturel", "le pacte citoyen et le programme du vivre-ensemble interculturel" and "les commissions communales du vivre-ensemble interculturel".

ASTI, Syvicol, CEFIS, the municipality of Strassen and the Division du vivre-ensemble of the Ministère de la Famille, des Solidarités, du Vivre ensemble et de l'Accueil, co-organisers of this event, would like to thank all those present for their active participation in this platform for exchange among local actors.

Born in 2018 out of the strong interest and need of Luxembourg municipalities to network on issues relating to integration and living together, the GRESIL, of which there have been eleven editions to date, offers municipalities a platform for gathering, exchanging, creating synergies, providing information, training and support on issues of integration and intercultural living together at local level. The next GRESIL meeting is scheduled for spring 2024.

The documentation of GRESIL 11 will be available shortly at www.gemengen.zesummeliewen.lu.

Press release by: le ministère de la Famille, des Solidarités, du Vivre ensemble et de l'Accueil / Division du vivre-ensemble / commune de Strassen / Association de soutien aux travailleurs immigrés (ASTI) / Syndicat des villes et communes luxembourgeoises (Syvicol) / Centre d'étude et de formation interculturelles et sociales (CEFIS)