I will remember 2019 as the year that Luxembourg…
Saw so many international topics play out on its national stage. In March we saw the first Stand Speak Rise Up event which stands out for the unique way it placed survivors at the core, and the hardworking organisers made every effort to make the survivors feel comfortable. It was an honour to hear people like Nadia Murad, Dr Denis Mukwege, Iryna Dovhan, Muhammad Yunus and others share their stories and ideas.
There was also the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge on 16 December. It was incredible that some of its veterans were able to come to Luxembourg. Those sorts of events put everything else into perspective.
Of course, there were also some other fascinating visitors, including Starbucks’ co-founder Zev Siegl and Kenneth B. Morris, Jr, plus a wide range of delegates for the OSCE assembly and the signing of US-Luxembourg space MoU. And I'm only naming a handful...
The Delano stories I worked on that gave me the most satisfaction…
Writing a personal take on Buzz Aldrin’s visit to Luxembourg, as well as speaking to Tom Majeres about witnessing the fall of the Berlin Wall. Both stories felt powerfully connected to history.
The Web Summit in Lisbon this November was another highlight--not just for the calibre of speakers but also to see what’s on the radar for tech and to make new contacts. The summit has an energy that is hard to put in words--not just across the various pavilions, but also in the press room, where journalists from around the world shared their impressions of the summit, tools of the trade, and stories from their home countries. Not to mention a certain Paperjam journalist who enjoyed playing the odd joke…
My favourite reads of the year…
The powerful prose of Gaël Faye’s “Small Country”; the eye-opening research in Caroline Criado Perez’ “Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men”. I also finally read André Aciman’s achingly beautiful love story, “Call Me By Your Name”, and I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the sequel.
My cultural highlights of the year…
In June Bank of China celebrated 40 years by bringing the Jingju Theater Company of Beijing to Luxembourg. The costumes were simply fantastic.
I also enjoyed hearing Zala Kravos and her brother, Val, play four-handed pieces during her piano recital.
In 2020, I am most looking forward to…
The 250th anniversary celebrations of Beethoven. It means I’ll have an excuse to revisit the Beethoven Haus in Bonn and be able to spoil myself silly with classical concerts in his honour.
I’ll also be curious seeing how the Expo 2020 unfolds in Dubai. I’ve been closely watching the developments and have been impressed with the planned architecture and scenography for the Luxembourg pavilion. Organisers of the expo have also promised certain sustainability commitments, which I hope they’ll live up to.