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Europe Direct University of Luxembourg

Europe Direct at the University of Luxembourg (2021-2025) (ED-UNILU) is a public history project co-funded by the European Commission. The aim is to inform students, researchers, teachers and the general public in the Greater Region about the past, present and future of European integration. ED-UNILU organises lectures, seminars, debates and exhibitions and contributes to citizen education by raising awareness about the EU’s values, principles and key issues and developing teaching and research in Luxembourg. 

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J.-M. Majerus, l’Ambassadrice S. Lucas, H. Werner, C. Flesch (la première femme bourgmestre de la Ville de Luxembourg), Dr R. Philippart, J. Santer (Ministre d’Etat Honoraire), M. Reicherts, Prof. S. Pallage (Recteur de l’Université) et Dr E. Danescu (ED)

ED-UNILU is managed by Dr Elena Danescu (Research Scientist at the C2DH) and the permanent desk (based at the Luxembourg Learning Centre in Belval) is run by Anita Ikwene.

In 2022, 35 varied events were organised or co-organised with 49 partners from Luxembourg and Europe, attracting a total of 1,213 people (in person and online). Highlights include:

SHARING KNOWLEDGE WITH SOCIETY

  • The second edition of the “Robert Schuman Lecture Series (2021-2025)”, an annual public history lecture series exploring Luxembourg’s role in the history of European integration, associating the University of Luxembourg with the European institutions in Luxembourg and other local organisations and associations. The 2022 lecture, “Luxembourg – capitale européenne à cœur ou à raison?” (6 July), was organised by ED-UNILU and the C2DH with prestigious partners from Luxembourg and the Greater Region (Luxembourg City Council, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the Fondation du Mérite européen, the European Movement) and guest speakers Lydie Polfer (Mayor of Luxembourg City), Colette Flesch (former Deputy Prime Minister), Jacques Santer (former President of the European Commission) and Dr Robert Philippart (UNESCO expert).
  • The Winter Online Lecture Series on Europe, organised in connection with the Master in European Contemporary History (MAHEC) and the Bachelor in European Cultures for students and the wider academic community. The series presented the history and workings of the European institutions in Luxembourg from unconventional angles such as gender, worker poverty and architectural heritage (14, 19, 20 and 21 December).
  • “Meet the author”, an event cycle which gives the public the opportunity to meet and debate with distinguished authors of books on topical issues and leading public figures. Two outstanding events were held in 2022: a) Construction européenne: la révolution d’un continent (with Gilles Grin, Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe, Lausanne, and Jacques Santer, Fondation du Mérite européen) (10 November); b) Time to Talk About Security (with Prof. Rob De Wijk, Clingendael Institute, and François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence) (30 November). 

MEMORY LAB (MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS)

  • “The role of women in European and international relations in Luxembourg (after the Second World War)” (2022-2025). This oral history project led by ED-UNILU in collaboration with the C2DH and the UL Media Centre, with the participation of second-year MAHEC students, involves filming interviews with women from a wide range of backgrounds whose action left a mark on European and international relations, then publishing them on the University research infrastructure and sharing them with the Historical Archives of the EU and EUI Florence. The project was launched on 8 March with a webinar. Five interviews were conducted in 2022 (Martine Reicherts, Viviane Reding, Erna Hennicot Schopeges, Astrid Lulling and Arlette Conzemius).
  • “Pierre Werner – A life dedicated to Luxembourg and Europe”, an exhibition based on the Werner family private archives, the Historical Archives of the EU and other relevant Luxembourg and European archives. Coordinated by Henri Werner (curator of the Werner family private archives) and Elena Danescu (C²DH), the exhibition presented the life and achievements of the former Prime Minister and committed European. The exhibition was displayed at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies(15 June–1 October), Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (29 October–22 December) and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Luxembourg (24 June–22 December).
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04 October 2022 Youth Citizen's Dialogue at the University of Luxembourg
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08 March 2022 Projet d’histoire orale « Le rôle des femmes dans les relations européennes et internationales du Luxembourg”
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30 Novembre 2022 Let’s Talk : European Security (Lecture and Panel discussion)
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10 November 2022 Construction européenne, la révolution d'un continent - Remarques introductives par Dr Elena Danescu
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07 June 2022 Study Morning of the Cercle Diplomatique at the University of Luxembourg
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30 May 2022 Research seminar at the EUI Florence Small states diplomacy in action
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15 June 2023 Exhibition Pierre Werner-5th ICESS - Presentation by Dr Elena Danescu at the opening session
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03 March 2022 Study Day on Luxembourg and Europe at the European School

Captions: 

04 October 2022 Youth Citizen's Dialogue at the University of Luxembourg 

In the front row (from right to left): Mrs Anne Calteux (Head of European Commission Representation in Luxembourg), Mrs Yuriko Backes (Luxembourg’s Finance Minister), Prof. Paolo Gentiloni (European Commissioner for Economy), Prof. Jens Kreisel, Rector of the University of Luxembourg, Dr Elena Danescu (Research Scientist at the C²DH, Coordinator of Europe Direct at the University of Luxembourg)

08 March 2022 Lancement du projet d’histoire orale « Le rôle des femmes dans les relations européennes et internationales du Luxembourg”

De g.à dr. : Mme Sonia Golini (Europe Direct University of Luxembourg), Mme Anne Calteux (Représentante de la Commission européenne au Luxembourg), Mme Anne Goedert (Ambassadrice itinérante pour les droits humains au Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes du Luxembourg), Mme Astrid Lulling (ancienne membre du Parlement européen), Mme Anne Schmit (étudiante MAHEC), Prof. Cahterine Léglu (Vice Rectrice académique de l’Université du Luxembourg, Dr Elena Danescu (Research Scientist au C²DH, Coordinatrice de l’Europe Direct University of Luxembourg)

30 Novembre 2022 Let’s Talk : European Security (Lecture and Panel discussion)

From l. to r.: François Klein (C²DH), Prof.Catherine Léglu (Vice-Rector for Academic affairs at the University of Luxembourg), Mrs Yvonne de Ruijters (Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Netherlands in Luxembourg), Mrs Shiwany Magermans (Embassy of the Netherlands in Luxembourg), Mr Cees Bansema (Ambassador of the Netherlands in Luxembourg), Mr François Bausch (Vice-Prime Minister of Luxembourg), Prof.Rob de Wijk (Professor of International Relations at Leiden University, Chairman of the National Security Think Tank), Mr Douwe Miedma (Editor-in-Chief at the Luxembourg Times)

DEBATES WITH CITIZENS

  • “What next for Europe’s youth? Current challenges and future prospects under debate”, with Luxembourg Finance Minister Yuriko Backes and European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni, with students, researchers and teaching staff from the University of Luxembourg (4 October).
  • “LGBTQ+ Activism in Europe” – event organised on Belval Campus in cooperation with the European Commission in Luxembourg and the Ministry of Family Affairs (7 July).
  • Participation in the European Citizens’ Initiative (2020-2024), a multi-year international project for pan-European citizenship education co-funded by the EU’s Erasmus+ programme in partnership with the University of Iasi (Romania), the University of Coimbra (Portugal), the University of Göttingen (Germany), the University of Vigo (Spain) and ED-UNILU. Dr Elena Danescu gave a lecture on 11 May.

 RETURN TO UNIVERSITY

* “Luxembourg and Europe – history, analysis and future prospects”. Study morning at the European School in Kirchberg in cooperation with the C2DH, the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) and the European Movement Luxembourg to familiarise teachers with Luxembourg’s role in European integration and explore current challenges (3 March).

  • Study Morning of the Cercle Diplomatique Luxembourg at the University of Luxembourg (7 July).

 MEDIA RELATIONS

  • “Europe between East and West: looking back, moving forward”, article by Elena Danescu published in Delano (18 January) exploring the origins of the divisions between East and West on matters such as freedom, justice and democracy.
  • “And This Is Also Europe” – participation in the round table organised by ARA Radio, Luxembourg (14 December).

Since April 2022, ED-UNILU has been actively involved in the EU’s STAND UP FOR UKRAINE platform.