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June 2012 – Issue 13 – 4€ – www.delano.lu

Match Maker: Luxembourg’s man in London, bruce baker, on Haye v. cHisora

Understanding LUxemboUrg: current affairs, business, LifestyLe, cuLture

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June 2012 - delano - 3

editorial

While hundreds of Luxembourgers sailed around the Mediterranean on the traditional Whitsun cruise and local cycling fans worred about the state of Fränk Schleck’s fitness, UNICEF issued a fairly damning report on child pov-erty in the Grand Duchy. The report into poverty in the world’s richest coun-tries found that some 12.3 percent of children here live in its strictly defined definition of “relative poverty”. That is higher than the average 11.5 percent and places Luxembourg 23rd out of 35 countries--an embarrassment for the country that is ranked the second rich-est per capita nation in the world. Admittedly, with relative poverty defined as a family with adjusted disposable income less than 50 percent of the national median, in Luxembourg the term does not conjure up images of kids wander-ing the streets of Hollerich searching for food or working on rubbish tips for a pitiful wage. However, another defini-tion, which lists some of the items essential to a child’s well-being, results

in 4.4 percent of children in Luxem-bourg being labelled as “deprived”. That means they may be missing out on some meals and a daily intake of fruit and vegetables, may not have more than one pair of well-fitting shoes, may not have a suitable place to do homework or have the opportunity to invite friends home or have access to an internet con-nection. Again, many of these “deprivations” may not seem drastic. But childhood is pre-cious, and every effort should be made to ensure that in a country like Luxem-bourg, children can enjoy their pre-pubescent years without suffering the trauma of neglect or social exclusion. As UNICEF’s Paul Heber says, there should be no excuse for not reducing that 4.4 percent figure to zero. Because, even if it is a cliché, children are the future and the more difficult life is for them as a child, the more problems they will have adjusting to adulthood--and that cannot be in the best interest of Luxembourg.

Think of The childrenText: Duncan Roberts — Illustration: Quentin Vijoux

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Write to BP728 L-2017 LuxembourgOffices 10 rue des Gaulois, Luxembourg-Bonnevoie ISSN 2220-5535 Web www.maisonmoderne.luCEO Mike KoedingerCOO Rudy LafontaineHR Director Thierry van Ingelgom

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Phone (+352) 29 66 18-1 Fax (+352) 29 66 19E-mail [email protected] Publishing Director Mike KoedingerEditorial Director Marc Gerges

Editor in chief Duncan Roberts ([email protected]) Journalist Aaron Grunwald ([email protected]) Contributors Neel Chrillesen, Tonya StonemanPhotography Julien Becker, Charles Caratini, Luc Deflorenne, David Laurent/Wide, Olivier Minaire,Jelle Van Seghbroeck, Jessica TheisProofreading Sarah Lambolez, Cathy Weber

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contents

8 24 8 30 52

SNAPSHOTSregulArS

6 Special victoryLuxembourg triumph at Special Olympics tourney

12 eaStern promiSeWhen Luxembourg meets Japan

28 avalanche, not tSunamiConference tackles financial regulations

38 thinK localZheni Zhekova: the Bulgarian law student says Luxembourg is a puzzle.

66 my other liFeNatalie Gerhardstein: the communications director’s deep diving passion.

48 lifeSTylenetworKingBritish Sports Car Club

50 going nativeThree traditional summer events

52 StaycationSeven summer daytrip tips

56 unique homeSSeven cool design shops

58 eclectic lady actGrand Théâtre previews new season

buSiNeSSanother croSSroadCan Luxembourg’s financial centre remain competitive?

30 training v. coachingHow to push employees ahead

34 mobile paymentS New rules, new players

35 britiSh chamberA look back at the past 20 years

36 dutch treatSGG’s cross-border deal

CurreNT AffAirSSixty yearS oF hurtHow will Luxembourg’s team fareat the London Olympics?

14 Sunday ShoppingWeekend experiment stirs debate

18 Sacred heartThe MBA programme turns 20

21 dirty beacheSLuxembourg water warning

20 hubertuS von morrOutgoing German ambassador on Juncker

42 COver STOrybruce baKerMatch makerLuxembourg’s man in London talks about one of the most controversial boxing bouts in recent memory. And it is not just Haye v. Chisora, but the Grand Duchy v. Europe.

NOTICE TO OUR READERS The next print edition of Delano will be published on October 4. Until then, keep up-to-date with daily news at Delano.lu and with Ten Things To Do This Week, our free app for iPhone & iPad.

snapshots

Yannick Streffen

A Luxembourg team triumphed in this year’s UEFA-sponsored international football tournament for developmen-tally disabled athletes, held last month in Hollerich.Special Olympics Luxembourg (SOL) and Racing Football Club Union Lux-embourg organised the event featuring four teams from the Grand Duchy, one from France and two from Germany.The annual tournament is one of sev-eral held across the Continent under the patronage of UEFA, European football’s governing board, says Marc Feltgen, director of SOL.The tournaments involve “unified games,” meaning each team is composed of six athletes with intellectual disabilities and four players from football clubs’ youth squads. In the case of the four Luxem-bourg teams, the young players were from Racing FC, which participated for the first time after partnering with SOL earlier this year, explains Feltgen. At the end of play on May 17, the cham-pions were a team from LigueHMC, a work and housing centre for the devel-opmentally disabled in Capellen.In addition to the football tourney, Spe-cial Olympics Luxembourg runs year-round programmes for many Olympic sports across the Grand Duchy. AG

Sport

Special victoryPhotos: Luc Deflorenne

Marc Feltgen (right)

René Peters, captain of Luxembourg’s national team

6 - delano - June 2012

A team that included youth squad players from German team SG Ahrweiler

06_p6_picturereport_a.indd 6 05/06/12 17:19

AUDIT - TAX - ADVISORY

Turning Complexity into Opportunity

kpmg.lu

© 2012 KPMG Luxembourg S.à r.l., a Luxembourg private limited company, is a subsidiary of KPMG Europe LLP and a member of the KPMG network of independent member fi rms affi liated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved.

London Olympics

Sixty yearS of hurt In today’s commercially competitive sporting climate, a repeat of Josy Barthel’s romantic Olympic victory in 1952 looks unlikely at London 2012. But COSL president André Hoffmann says success can be measured in other ways.Text: Duncan Roberts — Photos: Julien Becker

current affairs

It belongs to another era, to what might be called the golden age of the modern Olympic Games before the politicisa-tion and then the commercialisation of the world’s greatest sporting celebra-tion. In 1952, at the Helsinki games, Josy Barthel stunned the world by win-ning the 1,500 metres gold for Luxem-bourg, beating American Bob McMillen and German Werner Lueg (in the medal places) and also Britain’s Roger Ban-nister (who, two years later, would run the first sub-four minute mile). Barthel was presented with his gold medal--still Luxembourg’s only such medal at a summer games--by then Crown Prince Jean. While Barthel was hardly a favourite he had form going in to the games, having won both the 800 and 1,500 metres at the world student games the previous year and qualifying for the final of the same event at the 1948 London Olympics. In London in 2012, it will be a major surprise if any of Luxembourg’s athletes manage to win a medal. Sport has become more pro-fessional and the only members of the Luxembourg team who compete regu-

larly on the world stage are the Schleck brothers and tennis player Gilles Muller. But, as André Hoffmann, the presi-dent of the Comité Olympique et Spor-tif Luxembourgeois (COSL) says, in Beijing in 2008 Andy Schleck finished fourth in the cycling road race and with a bit more luck could have claimed one of the medal places. Even so, expectations are realistic. “We are not going because we are expecting a medal. In swimming it would be a success if one of our swimmers reached the semi-final, a place in the top 16. In each sport you have different ideas of what success could be.” As Hoffmann explains, the COSL sets criteria up front, which meet those of the international federations, for each potential member of the Luxembourg team. “We see to it that the people we send over are competitive enough to be accepta-ble representatives of Luxembourg in that sport.” Gilles Muller, for example, is ranked among the top 50 tennis players in the world and with the tournament on grass at Wimbledon--one of his favourite surfaces--he could go far. “But he could also lose in the first round. Not everyone can win a medal.”

Luxembourg’s delegation will total around 20 to 25 personnel as the Inter-national Olympic Committee (IOC) sets a limit according to the size of the team. “That is why it is crucial for us to have at least ten athletes, because that gives us an additional delegate,” says Hoffmann. Indeed, the limited number presents a logistical challenge for the Luxembourg delegation as many of the team com-pete in their first round events within a two and a half day period. “It is a tricky issue when athletes are competing at the same time and we have to decide how to allocate resources.”

200,000 euro

While athletes live for free in the Olympic Village--and can stay there and attend events throughout the Games--the cost of preparations, taking other delegates and support staff and supply-ing uniforms and kit will cost the COSL around 200,000 euro. While the COSL has a roster of spon-sors, these are for long-term support over a four-year period (basically between each Olympic games). The rest of its budget is covered by the IOC, which

RomanTic vicToRy: Josy Barthel’s win in 1952

remains Luxembourg’s only Summer Olympic gold medal

anDRé Hoffmann: athletes have to be acceptable representatives of Luxembourg

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current affairs

redistributes some money from its spon-sorship income via solidarity funds that support specific training programmes, and from the Lotterie Nationale. The IOC has a strong hand regarding spon-sorship and much has been made in cer-tain sections of the media about new legislation introduced by the UK gov-ernment designed to discourage ambush marketing by companies not officially associated with London 2012. “It is clear there are strict rules, but the impact in Luxembourg is limited--though we are prohibited from contacting the same spon-sors as the IOC,” Hoffmann explains. On the other hand, one Luxembourg spon-sor has stepped in to sponsor the Lon-don Games and this has provided the COSL with an extra payment. “This is unique and is not in the philosophy of our sponsorship programme, but it is always welcome to receive additional financing in times when financing is difficult.”

Debate has also raged in the UK about the so-called “legacy” of the Games--not only the physical legacy of the new stadia and facilities, but also the way in which the Olympics will encourage take-up of sports. The COSL has at its grass-roots the support of sporting fed-erations in Luxembourg, but also encour-ages the so-called “elite cadre” of sportsmen and women, and some teams, that show the most promise. “That obviously helps the federations who do not have to put additional money into those schemes,” says Hoffmann.

Small nationS gameS

Next year Luxembourg once again hosts the Games of the Small States of Europe, which will see some 800 to 900 athletes from eight nations (Andorra, Cyprus. Iceland, Liechten-stein, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino) descend on the Grand

flying THe flag: the Luxembourg delegation at the Beijing Games four years ago

Duchy. The biennial games is limited to European countries with a population of less than one million inhabitants, with Iceland, Cyprus and Luxembourg generally the teams that win the most medals. “The philosophy is a bit different, which is to allow a larger number of athletes to compete at an international level; a level at which they can find some common ground,” says Hoffmann. “It is a useful tool to allow the development of athletes in their personal field and to experience being part of an international team.” Indeed, the small nations games seem to capture the original spirit of the modern Olympics as envisioned by their founder Baron Pierre de Cou-bertin and his famous quote “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”

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10 - Delano - June 2012

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snapshots

Tourism was one of the focuses of the event

East meets west, culture meets business

The meet and greet took place in the Philharmonie

Fernand Weber

Pierre Gramegna with Japanese

ambassador Takashi Suetsuna

Romain Kribs

Pianist brothers Les Frères both trained at the Luxembourg city conservatoire

The land of the rising sun was the focus of the second in Voyages Emile Weber’s “meet and greet” series. The events are aimed at bringing together decision makers from business and the public sector, diplomacy and culture, says the travel company. Guest speakers included Japanese ambas-sador Takashi Suetsuna and director general of the Chamber of Commerce (and former ambassador of Luxembourg to Japan), Pierre Gramegna. Following a walking dinner of Japanese specialities, it concluded with a per formance in the Philharmonie’s grande auditorium by Les Frères, Japanese brothers Moriya and Keito Saito who first studied piano at the Luxembourg city conservatoire.Both Suetsuna and Gramegna high-lighted the differences and similarities between the two countries, but both urged Luxembourgers to visit Japan and discover a completely different world and way of life. Indeed, Gramegna pointed out that the Japanese mentality is in stark contrast to that in Luxembourg, not only because of the huge discrepancy in population density (in Japan only 15 percent of the country is populated), but also because of the different influ-ence of foreign residents in the respective countries--only one percent of residents in Japan are foreign. DR

Luxembourg meets Japan

EastErn promisEsPhotos: Jessica Theis

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current affairs


date Line

these politicians are unveiled as accom-plices to the world of commerce. Once again they have shown they do not care about social dialogue or the involvement of unions in this debate,” says the unions. But Yves Piron of the capital city retail-ers’ association UCVL (Union Com-merciale de la Ville de Luxembourg) argues that nobody will be forced to work on Sundays, and even claims that some retail staff are happy to work on a Sunday because they get paid a higher hourly rate and receive compensation time in lieu. “It depends on different family situations,” says Piron. “But work-ing conditions remain the same. Nobody will work more hours and that is some-thing that should be made clear to the unions.”That does not quite wash with the unions, who argue that the employers and the ministry are ignoring the hardship faced by families who cannot

The battle lines have long been drawn on Sunday shopping. On the one side of the ruck are those who view it as an opportunity for Luxembourg; an idea whose time is long overdue. On the other are those who feel opening shops on Sundays is exploiting the workers and making the world a more commer-cial, secular place.The fight has so far involved little more than some gentle sparring. Each year the ministry of small business grants Luxembourg retailers eight Sundays on which they can open, and the unions representing shop workers bris-tle with self-righteous indignity but realise there is little they can do. But now the capital city has plans to open shops every third Sunday of the month during the summer--a move supported by minister Françoise Hetto-Gaasch--and the unions have repeated their rally cry against the injustice. “Once again,

Sunday opening

Shopping and ruckingPlans for shops to open every third Sunday in the capital have sparked renewed debate about competition and the working conditions of retail staff. Text: Duncan Roberts — Photo: Julien Becker

SHORT FLICKSA capacity crowd at the CarréRotondes

watched Catherine Villeninot take best prize for Chômage Af-fectif at the first International Short Film Festival of Luxem-bourg and the Greater Region. Among the 20 entries were films from Canada, Italy and Spain.

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People killed in 2011 due to speeding (STATEC)

16UP TO MOMMothers spend an average 24 hours per

week on housework, compared to 16 hours per week for wom-en without children, 10 hours for men with kids and 8 hours for men without (STATEC). The average jumps in the 20s, but after 30 remains relatively stable.

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current affairs

may 2012 - delano - 15

The ciTy cenTre on a Sunny Sunday iS full of TouriSTS”

Yves Piron

be together on a Sunday, or the more practical difficulty of getting to work on a Sunday for those employees who rely on public transport. “That does not seem to interest them.”

opporTuniTy

The idea of opening every third Sunday in the month over the summer arose at the UCVL’s annual general meeting earlier this year. The capital city’s retail-ers have long argued that if shops in a smaller town such as Echternach is allowed to open because it is a tourist destination, then those in Luxembourg city should be afforded the same status. “If you look at the city centre on a sunny Sunday, it is full of tourists,” says Piron. “We see it as an opportunity for those who

want to open--it will not be obligatory. The only stores that will open will be those that think they can make money.” City mayor Xavier Bettel will introduce his vide-grenier (see box) on the third Sunday of every month. With the monthly market on the Glacis also taking place on the third Sunday, it was deemed the perfect day on which to launch an experiment to test whether Sunday shop opening is viable. “The Glacis market also took time to become popular,” says Piron. “But now it is busy all day long.” The UCVL is not yet sure whether shops will be permitted to open all day (that is to say from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) or just in the afternoons, from 2 to 6 p.m. as they are on normal Sunday openings. “The problem is that well over 50 percent of retail staff come to Luxem-

bourg from the Greater Region, so coming in to work for just four hours is often not worth it.”Piron says that obviously it will be eas-ier for some shops--the smaller, family-run businesses--to arrange to have staff at their store on a Sunday than interna-tional chain stores. And he believes the focus will be in the upper city near the place Guillaume II (where the vide-grenier will take place) and the Glacis. “It will provide real animation in the city.” Piron says that simply opening shops later in the evening will not work because a significant number of people who work in the capital rush to catch a train or jump in their car to beat the rush hour as soon as work finishes. “Shops can open later, and a few have tried to stay open until 7 p.m. But non-residents won’t stay in the city just to shop. Why not have one evening when administrative offices stay open later, or have more cultural happen-ings in the city?”

aSian TouriSTS

Tourists represent a real new purchas-ing power in the city, argues Piron. Indeed, with Hetto-Gaasch holding both the retail and tourism portfolios, the two sectors should be working more closely together. And it is not just day trippers from the Greater Region who swarm into the capital city on a sunny Sunday, tourists from further afield--and especially from Asia--are also being seen more frequently. Hetto-Gaasch recently led a delegation, including Piron, to China to discuss the possibil-ity of attracting more Chinese tourists by means of a direct flight to Luxembourg.

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REPORT CARD IINoting 60% of the country’s youngsters

are foreign, the Chamber of Commerce called for schools to face “demographic reality.” The chamber wants students to put less emphasis on either French or German, while putting more emphasis on learning English.

REPORT CARD ITotal graduations, the overall number of stu-

dents and percentage of international students all rose last year at the University of Luxembourg. The university’s board also ap-proved a €150 million budget, which includes adding more student housing.

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Juncker then attended the NATO summit in Chicago.

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The PM visited the Luxem-bourg American Cultural Center.

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current affairs


current affairs

If you open, they wIll come: city retailers hope residents and tourists will flock to shop on the third Sunday of every month

“We are working with the ministry and incoming agencies, because we see tourism as a great potential. But it would be a shame if they would just arrive here, look at the Gëlle Fra and then leave because the shops are closed.”But it is not just tourists that count. Luxembourg wants to be competitive and attract international talent, yet the shop opening hours could be viewed as archaic by anyone tempted to move to Luxembourg from London or Frank-furt or Paris. And the Confédération Luxembourgeoise du Commerce (CLC) recently launched a paper titled Le com-merce luxembourgeois à l ’horizon 2020 in which it called for, among other rec-ommendations, the abolition of all open-ing hour regulations in an effort to make Luxembourg’s retail sector more

competitive. The unions were quick to charge the CLC with wanting to “introduce the law of the capitalist jungle to Luxembourg, along the lines of the Ameri-can model without any protection for employees.” But the CLC warns that the growth of e-commerce offering con-sumers more choice and increasing competition from the Greater Region are causing a slump in retail turnover, despite the fact that disposable house-hold income is still on the rise, popula-tion growth is positive and Luxembourgers are spending less abroad. Whether the Sunday shopping experiment can halt that decline remains to be seen, but in the current climate the retail sector is keen to at least try something different to boost its fortunes. www.cityshopping.lu

ANTICIPATEDJean-Claude Juncker was expected to give

the Chamber of Deputies a “very detailed statement” on the planned Livange stadium and shopping mall. Rumours persist that the government pressured BCEE to finance the project. See Delano.lu for full details.

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Household gas price from 2nd half of 2010 to 2011 (Eurostat)

22%CROWNEDLuxembourg’s Andy Schleck received the

2010 Tour de France champi-on’s jersey in Mondorf. Alberto Contador of Spain lost the title in February after testing posi-tive for stimulants during the race. Schleck had finished just 39 seconds behind Contador.

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DEBATEDEU home affairs ministers met in Luxem-

bourg to debate common rules on when and how border controls within the normally pass-port-free Schengen area can be temporarily implemented “ in exceptional circumstances” and how to monitor for compliance.

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On June 17 the Ville de Luxembourg is hosting the first of its “vide-gren-ier”. Restricted to private individu-als, the event allows residents to set up a stand to sell off anything from their household between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Stands--2.5m2--can be booked in advance. They are restricted to two per person and cost just five euro. Folding tables can be booked to display goods, but sellers will be allowed to park their vehicle at their stand. Book via Mme Marie-France Lamesch, tel.: 4796 - 4299, email: [email protected]. The Glacis market also takes place every third Sunday, with stands sell-ing everything from roast chickens to flowers, underwear and olive oils, set up on the car park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Shops will be open in the city every third Sunday, but the exact opening times have not yet been agreed.

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Third Sunday

Life in the city


snapshots

Bellor Yator

Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg city mayor, towards the right and wearing team number 444

Samba de Luxe member

Thousands of runners, performers and spectators participated in one of Lux-embourg city’s best known and largest international events last month. A record number 10,000 people regis-tered for the 7th ING europe-marathon Luxembourg’s full, half, mini and team runs, according to Erich François, man-aging director of event organiser step by step. Bellor Yator of Kenya won the race in a record time of 2:13:45 hours--that was still over his 2012 personal best of 2:09:21, but enough to beat country-men Kiprotich Kirui (2:19:39) and Ste-phen Rutto (2:21:27). Mahlet Melese of Ethiopia took the women’s title with a time of 2:45:56 hours, just 11 minutes shy of last year’s record time, achieved by Rael Kiyara of Kenya.Yet runners were only some of those who took part. About 40 bands performed along the course, including the now-famous Samba de Luxe, a mini-festival featuring international samba bands. In addition, an estimated 150,000 spec-tators lined the race through the heart of Luxembourg city. Visitors are reck-oned to have spent about two million euro over the weekend. AG & DR

Sport

Marathon shines spotlight on cityPhotos: Luc Deflorenne

current affairs

This month marks the 20th anniversary of Sacred Heart University’s John F. Welch College of Business Luxem-bourg, which offers MBAs to working professionals in the Greater Region. More than 450 graduates later, Delano spoke about the programme--and Sacred Heart’s big expansion plans--with its academic director, Dr. Alfred Steinherr, a former chief economist at the Euro-pean Investment Bank.

AG: What was Sacred Heart’s origi-nal competitive advantage?AS: When someone has to go to London for a year, that creates a tremendous cost.Our purpose was to create something for people who live here or nearby and pursue their professional activity at the same time. That means you [can com-plete a MBA] in at most six years, but you can do it in two years, depending on how much time your job and your family situation gives you.AG: What do your students expect to get out of the programme?AS: They either have been promoted to a level where they realise ‘I don’t have enough,’ or they wish to be pro-moted and realise, ‘if I want to move on, I have to understand more about other things.’ The basic idea is to acquire a more complete preparation for a job of responsibility. Usually the further up you go, the more you have to have an overview of many things, not just one specialty. A little bit of marketing, a little bit of finance, a little bit of strategy, a little bit of production man-agement, and so on.

AG: What is your goal for the next 20 years?AS: [Today] we don’t have students com-ing from far away. For that reason I cre-ated a new programme, unique in the world, where we bring people here and in 16 months they can complete their MBA.During nine of these 16 months, they do an internship. It’s not just any internship. It is an internship that is long [enough] that you really get some-thing out of it. Because if you do a two or three month internship, that’s too short to really learn anything. It’s just long enough to know how the coffee machine works. Also firms are more interested, because it’s not a tourist who comes but someone who will do a job. Second, students will

be paid, so it reduces the cost of the whole programme. And, they will do it in a firm that has a worldwide reputa-tion, like ArcelorMittal or JP Morgan, so that when they go back there’s some-thing that has value on their CV.AG: Do you really think you can attract students from, say China or India?AS: The major countries offering MBA education--Australia, the US, the UK and France--all have toughened their visa requirements. And the nice thing about Luxembourg is [that] it’s a cost-benefit analysis.It’s in the heart of Europe; Paris and other nice places are only one and half hours away. And it has the highest concentration of international firms of any location in Europe.

Education

Cost-benefit analysis”Previously focused on local professionals, Luxembourg’s oldest MBA programme now aims to attract international students. Interview: Aaron Grunwald — Photo: Olivier Minaire

Alfred Steinherr: unique mix of students and experiences

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18 - delAno - June 2012

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current affairs

After nearly six years in the post, Dr. Hubertus von Morr will step down as Germany’s ambassador to the Grand Duchy on June 30, when he retires from the foreign service. As the longest ever serving German ambassador, he tells Delano about his favourite moments in the job and gives his take on Jean-Claude Juncker.AG: What will you remember most about your time here?HvM: The highlights for any German ambassador are always the visits of the chancellor, Mrs. Merkel, and the presi-dent, and we had the state visit of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess to Germany in the end of April. These were, of course, the highlights. But I have most fond memories of the coun-try and its people, who are very, very nice, friendly and open.AG: What is the most pressing issue your successor will face?HvM: Number one on the agenda are the problems in the euro zone. And a lot will depend upon how the euro group will be chaired in the future. It

seems to be an open question right now. But a decision must be taken by the end of June at the council [of European ministers in Brussels].AG: What about the Grand Duchy’s economic future?HvM: I have always said that Luxem-bourg is a paradise, but even a paradise has to stay in shape. AG: What do you think is needed?HvM: I think the government is fully aware of what needs to be done to stay in shape. I can only quote Prime Min-ister Jean-Claude Juncker, who--after I said Luxembourg was a paradise--re-plied that the paradise will have to be refurbished. I think it’s a very good expression. No one can beat Juncker when it comes to turning a phrase. AG: Do you think he will remain chair of the euro group?HvM: Who am I to say? I don’t know. Juncker has said he will not continue. I don’t know whether there’s any alterna-tive who will get a consensus. We have to see. At the end of June, we’ll know more. AG

Dr. Hubertus von Morr:hopes Luxembourg keeps fitO

livier

Min

aire

Diplomacy

No oNe caN beat JuNcker”The outgoing German ambassador reflects on his record setting stay in Luxembourg.

It's been a good or bad month for:

Jean-Claude JunCker

The prime minister regularly has approval ratings above 85%, but even he could not have imagined that he was more popular than Barack Obama and Jesus Christ. Yet that is the find-ing of a poll conducted on opinion.lu, in which Juncker placed 4th, behind Gandhi, Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela, but ahead of the likes of Churchill, JFK and the Dalai Lama.www.questions.lu

Yves MersCh In a dispute over building permission, the chief of the Luxembourg Central Bank lost a case brought by the Ville de Luxembourg to stop him construct-ing a luxury villa on a field above Eich in the capital city.

leopard Trek While Bob Jungels was providing the Luxembourg pro cycling team with cheer, the withdrawal of Fränk Schleck from the Giro d‘Italia following a crash and a subsequent war of words with team boss Johan Bruyneel hinted that all was not well in the Leopard Trek camp. Still, Andy Schleck did finally get his yellow jersey for his retroactive Tour de France 2010 win.www.leopardtrek.lu

pierre peTers The Luxembourg activist was handed a suspended prison sentence of 30 months for disseminating anti-foreign material over the Internet and via fly-ers. Even in court, Peters showed no remorse and said he was simply telling “the truth”.

Cha

rles C

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ini

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20 - Delano - June 2012

current affairs

with nearly eight sites per thousand square kilometres. The Grand Duchy only trails the Netherlands and Switzerland on this count, and is far ahead of both EU averages and neighbours in the Greater Region.“While these results for the quality of bathing waters are good, they are not enough to meet our expectations,” Janez Potočnik, European environment commis sioner, and Jacqueline McGlade, executive di rec tor of the European Environment Agency, write in their jointly issued report. “More efforts are needed to achieve the good environmental status required by the Water Framework Directive.”

While the Grand Duchy has a high number of swimming locales available for its geographic size, an EU survey released in May finds the sites’ water quality lacking.The scorecard covered checks of more than 22,000 swimming sites at beaches, rivers and lakes conducted last year in all 27 EU member states, plus EU candidates Croatia, Montenegro, and Switzerland.Luxembourg was one of the countries that “had remarkably low proportions of sites meeting the strict guide values.” The Grand Duchy ranked 25th out of 30, only ahead of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Latvia in water quality overall. Germany, Austria, Greece, Belgium and the

UK topped the ratings for cleanest lake and river water (see chart 1). However, the number of sites tested in other countries varied from six in Greece and 20 in Luxembourg, to 1,300 in France and nearly 2,000 in Germany.When coastal waters are includedwhich does not change the evaluation of Luxembourgthe cleanest European waters are found in Cyprus, Croatia and Malta (see chart 2).In addition to Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic fare poorly in this comparison (see chart 3).The report also noted that Luxembourg has the third highest number of inland bathing waters for its geographic size,

Health

Murky watersLuxembourg has the fifth worst bathing water quality in Europe, according to an EU report issued just in time for the summer swimming season. Text: Aaron Grunwald – Graphics: Maison Moderne Studio

RiveR and lake bathing wateR qualityPercentage of sites receiving the EU’s best grade

90.2%Germany

83.5%Austria

59.5%Belgium

44.9%Spain

66.7%Greece

54.1%France

32.2%Switzerland

58.1%UK

44.4%Netherlands

62.7%Portugal

50%luxembouRg

70.4%eu aveRage

Cleanest swimming aReas, inCluding Coastal wateRsPercentage of sites receiving the EU’s best grade

99.1%Cyprus

87.8%Germany

83%Ireland

97.7%Malta

84%Portugal

77.1%eu aveRage

97.7%Croatia

87.8%Romania

82.8%UK

94.1%Greece

83.5%Austria

50%luxembouRg

woRst wateR quality Results oveRallPercentage of non-complaint, poor, banned or closed sites

45%luxembouRg

6.5%Latvia

3.2%Bulgaria

10.4%Netherlands

3.6%Estonia

2.9%Italy

14.1%Belgium

4.5%Spain

3.1%Hungary

7.6%Czech

Republic

3.5%Denmark

2.8%eu aveRage



snapshots

Marc Angel (left)

Fiona Parsons, Chris Vigar and La Vigar

Swiss ambassador Philippe Guex and Nigel Fielding

US ambassador Robert Mandell (left)

and Finnish ambassador Marja Lehto (centre)

Paul Schonenberg of

Amcham and Sharon March

Lord Hurd and British ambassador Alice Walpole

Sir Winston Churchill Memorial Lecture

Lord Hurd refLects on justice and peacePhotos: Charles Caratini

Following a two-year break, the annual tradition of the Sir Winston Churchill Memorial Lecture was revived on May 9. This year’s guest speaker was Lord Hurd of Westwell, who served as home secretary and foreign secretary under Margaret Thatcher and John Major. Lord Hurd chose as his subject what he called the “tension” that often exists between peace and justice in the con-text of international law. He argued that the current clamour to arrest the president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, may not be in the best interest of those affected by conflict in the area and also sends mixed messages. “The difficulty in speaking in different tones is that one mes-sage will be disregarded,” he said. On the other hand, Lord Hurd praised the truth and reconciliation process in South Africa and a similar approach in Northern Ireland. But, he also recog-nised that it was very difficult emotion-ally for the victims of violence to accept that many of the perpetrators would go unpunished. “It is difficult to explain the benefits of the peace process when up against human reactions.” But long last-ing peace and reconciliation must be given priority over the search for jus-tice, Lord Hurd concluded. DR

Radio_Ara_Delano.indd 1 10.01.2012 9:24:39 Uhr

Finance

Another crossroAdAs rules and tax rates become increasingly harmonised, will Luxembourg still be competitive 10 or 20 years from now? Text: Aaron Grunwald — Photos: Luc Deflorenne

FernAnD GruLms: you’ve heard this story before

In a world where financial regulations and tax rates are both increasing in total number and becoming increas-ingly harmonised across borders--as organisations from the G20 global group of large economies to the Euro-pean Commission continue to pump out volumes of new rules--how can Luxembourg’s financial sector remain competitive in the coming decades? The second annual Horizon Confer-ence, organised by consulting f irm Deloitte Luxembourg and f inancial data provider Thomson Reuters on June 21, explores such forward looking questions.Unlike other confabs, the focus will be more on perceptions of the financial sector “not as seen from the inside, but as seen from outside Luxembourg,” says Pierre Castagne, head of Thomson Reuters in Luxembourg. In addition to the keynote speech by Luc Frieden, the finance minister, Castagne is particu-larly keen to hear from Fitch Ratings’ head of European funds, Aymeric Poi-zot, because global credit agencies have had huge economic influence in the recent years.

Like many of his clients, Castagne’s organisation operates in dozens of global markets. Customers “don’t want to hold a different conversation in Luxembourg than what the guys in Frankfurt, Lon-don or New York are having.” He agrees that everyone has to be in sync, espe-cially when people face the same chal-lenges. But “when you move to that kind of operating model, you tend to forget about market specialisation, the little geographies, and that’s what I want to remind everyone.” He sums the confer-ence up as a chance to say: “Luxembourg is small, but Luxembourg is important” to the financial world.Indeed, the way global regulations are shaping up could help make Luxem-bourg’s specialisations go a bit more mainstream. Case in point: coming inter-national capital requirements that will reshape banks’ balance sheets. Currently 80 percent of financing in Europe is raised from banks and 20 percent from the capital markets, “whereas in the US it is exactly the opposite,” notes Fernand Grulms, CEO of the official promotion agency Luxembourg for Finance. But the new “capital and liquidity require-

esch-BeLvAL:

bright minds are the futureof Luxembourg’s

financial centre

ments are strong incentives for banking institutions to increasingly adapt a busi-ness model like they have in the US: not buy and hold, but originate and distrib-ute. It means banks will try to get risks of their balance sheet.”If this sounds a lot like the cross-border funds industry, then you are on the same page as Grulms. He says that fund-type structures have “already pushed Luxem-bourg ahead ” of European competitors. “We are well positioned in this trend.”

new plAybook

In addition, next year new European rules come into effect on “alternative funds,” which are meant for professional investors. This is a chance for Luxem-bourg to replicate its story in retail mutual funds, reckons Anouck Agnes, head of communications and business develop-ment at the trade association ALFI.“The industry will prove that the experi-ence Luxembourg has in the ‘passport’ business, in cross-border distribution, will also be beneficial to alternative fund man-agers.” She says the cross-border “know-how that exists, but so far has been linked to the UCITS business, will also be an

Business

June 2012 - DeLAno - 25

Business

remain competitive as the EU compared to the rest of the world. It’s not even just the competition amongst the 27. We need to keep in mind that there are other countries that a good job, like Hong Kong or Singa-pore.” She stresses: “to remain competi-tive in the next 20 years, it’s the 27 I think about.”

Friend or Foe

Even with a more level playing field and increased competition, the world’s finan-cial activity and market players still have to cluster somewhere. “China is a good example,” says Grulms. “The two largest Chinese banks have set up their European headquarters here,” and earlier this year financial regulator CSSF dis-closed a third major Chinese bank will set up shop in the Grand Duchy shortly. “And I can tell you there are other files pending. When it comes to attracting financial institutions from emerging countries, we have a good chance to attract them to Luxembourg. You can say Luxem-bourg is a tiny market,” he adds. “But they can easily set up shop in Luxembourg to expand [across Europe] and that’s what they’re actually doing.”

advantage” for the institutional inves-tors that fall under Brussels’ new regime. “But obviously we need to prove that” to the market.Another crossroads is on the mind of Ruth Bültmann, a partner at Deloitte Luxembourg. At the conference she will speak about family offices, which man-age f inancial and legal matters for wealthy families. Deloitte estimates that the Grand Duchy already has about ten percent marketshare in the seg-ment, but “there are new needs and we need new opportunities.”In her view, Luxembourg’s track record in private banking and investment man-agement can combine to create a new family office hub. Plus all the things that made the Grand Duchy interesting to earlier investors--such as location, language, stability and agility--are just as much of a draw for wealthier clients.Even as regulatory environments in dif-ferent countries are becoming more sim-ilar, the Grand Duchy need not get too distracted, says Sébastien Danloy, Lux-embourg managing director at banking giant RBC Dexia. For example, tax pol-icies here are “not always the most attrac-

tive, but stable. A country that is stable, that still has its AAA rating, that’s very important. Yes, there is more of a level play-ing field on a global basis, but harmonisa-tion of a legal framework is not what will make it a level playing field when it comes to expertise.” He notes that it took more than three decades for Luxembourg to build-up its financial centre. “For anyone to catch up, it will take much longer than that. I don’t see how someone would be com-petitive in the next 10 to 20 years.”At the same time, Danloy is confident the country is not resting on its laurels, especially because financial services represents an outsized percentage of the country’s economy. “Right in front of me, I see the cranes building the new University of Luxembourg [campus] here in Esch-Belval. The government is creat-ing the environment to attract and edu-cate smart, young people in the country and make sure that we have the right resources for the industry.”Even if all the coming rules are open-ing doors for the Grand Duchy, the financial centre has to “remain competi-tive on costs,” Agnes warns. “I’m think-ing of the EU in general. We need to

Anouck AGnes:

cross-border experience is transferable

26 - DeLAno - June 2012

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Jean-Michel Loehr Stephane Pesch

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Evelyne Christiaens

The coming “MiFID II” regulations--that update the EU’s Markets in Finan-cial Instruments Directive--will have a wide-ranging impact on both the bank-ing and investment spaces, attendees at a conference organised by KPMG heard in May.Since the onset of the global economic crisis, many in the financial sector have repeatedly said their industry faces a “tsunami” of new regulations. However, “this is an avalanche,” says the consulting firm’s Charles Muller. “Because you can survive an avalanche if you are prepared.”One proposed provision carries the “risk of opening the Pandora’s Box of cast-ing doubt on UCITS,” warns Jean-Michel Loehr of RBC Dexia Investor Services. The rules would split invest-ment products into “complex” and “non-complex” categories. Today all UCITS mutual funds are essentially treated as non-complex products, acceptable for all retail investors. Loehr reckons that creating two types of UCITS would send a confusing message to savers.Robert Goebbles, one of Luxembourg’s members of the European Parliament, said he had tabled an amendment to avoid the categorisation of UCITS funds, but could not predict if it would ulti-mately be adapted by the body. AG

Regulation

AvAlAnche, not tsunAmiPhotos: Jessica Theis

Charles Muller withRobert Goebbels

Isabelle Goubin

06_p28_picturereport_a.indd 28 5/6/12 11:47 AM

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Seminar DateFINANCE AND ACCOUNTING

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PErSONAl DEvElOPmENTDecision making 26th and 27th SeptemberPolish your presentation skills 27th SeptemberTime management and effective planning 13th and 14th NovemberSelf-efficiency 14th November

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Business

date Line15•

may

STAGNANTGDP growth during the first quarter was

an estimated 0.0% in the 17 na-tion euro area and 0.1% in the 27 EU states, up from -0.3% in both zones in the fourth quar-ter of 2011 (Eurostat). In Lux-emburg, GDP is forecast to only rise 1.0% in 2012 (STATEC).

4•

may

SLIDINGLuxembourg banks collectively earned

€1.4 billion in net profits dur-ing the first quarter of 2012, down 11.5% from the same period the year before (CSSF). While profits on banking prod-ucts were down 4.7%, overall profits on fees were up 4.4%.

May–June 2012

HR

Taking iT To The nexT levelCoaching vs. training: which is right for your business? Text: Tonya Stoneman – Photos: Olivier Minaire

The FIFA World Cup is watched by nearly one-sixth of the world’s popula-tion. Football impacts people’s lives so much that in 2006 the World Bank reported a 0.7 percent gain in eco-nomic growth for a winning country, with that nation’s stock market consid-erably outperforming those of the losers.The significant correlation between the sports world and commerce is not lost on corporate executives, who are taking their cues from successful team managers.During the past two decades, a new approach to training employees has taken hold. Businesses seeking to develop high-level talent and push performance to new levels are enlisting the help of professionals to do more than merely teach their staff. They want workers to innovate, strategise and pioneer--skills that require more than route adherence to procedure.Most people don’t know that there is a major difference between coaching some-

one and training them. And that dif-ference has a major effect on the outcome. According to Claude Cardoso of the continuing education organisation INFPC, “training is directive. A trainer or teacher-expert will try to teach someone how to do something. But coaching is non-directive. A coach is a facilitator whose aim is to enhance performance.”Monique Bernard, HR director of Banque de Luxembourg, utilises the services of both coaches and trainers. “Our bank has been very supportive of training to ensure fidelity and employa-bility of staff,” she says. “Even through crisis periods, we have not cut training.” Her bank amassed 22,000 hours in training last year in order to stay abreast of tax regulations and rapidly changing technology. She is quick to point out that it frequently solicits the services of coaches, as well.While the act of imparting knowledge, like new taxation laws, offers employ-ees tools that will make them success-

ful in specific tasks, coaching focuses on behaviours that impact competen-cies. This is a completely opposite ped-agogy, says Monica Jonsson, founder of CoachDynamix. “I ask people to think for themselves,” she explains. “Where are you? Where do you want to be? Coaching requires a person to internalise. When I coach, I make people aware of their poten-tial and help them find their own strategy for tapping into it.”

hoW anD When

Jonsson will tell you that coaching is not just for “bad performers.” In her career, she has seen it used to groom people for promotion, to help new hires fit into a company’s culture, and to develop top talent. By her own admission, the principles of her craft come from the sports world. “A business coach doesn’t shout at his team,” she says, “but the principles are the same. Coaches customise their methods to their athletes because they want to win. It’s the same

9•may

Annualised inflation rate in April (STATEC)

2.7%


Business

STILL SELLINGThe euro zone bailout fund EFSF sold €3

billion in 3-year bonds. While the offering was one and half times oversubscribed, demand was slightly lower than in previous sales. The agency sup-ports the financial rescue of Greece, Ireland and Portugal.

MODEST GAINSAt the end of the first quarter, the value of

euro area mutual fund shares was €407 billion higher than at the end of December 2011 (ECB). The increase in value--to €6,069 billion--was driven by rising share prices, not an in-flow of investor funds.

24•

may23•

may21•

may

LOWESTAt 15%, Luxembourg has the lowest stan-

dard VAT rate in Europe, followed by 17% in Cyprus, Germany and the Netherlands (Eurostat). Hungary’s 27% and Sweden and Denmark’s 25% tax on goods and services top the scale. The EU average is 21%.

15•

may

INCHING UPThe unemployment rate in the rich world

was 8.2% during the first quarter, the same level recorded since February 2011 (OECD). The rate was 10.8% in the euro area--up from 10.5% the previous quarter--and 5.2% in Luxembourg--up from 4.8% a year ago.

Monique Bernard:

relationship with a trainer or coachis based on confidence

CoaChes:

Monica Jonsson, Nastja Raabe, Brandi Karlsted; photo taken at the Sofitel

Luxembourg Le Grand Ducal

Whether a company uses a coach or a training programme depends on the infor-mation gleaned through this process.Jonsson and Nastja Raabe of Coach-Dynamix suggest companies or indi-viduals creating such programmes look for four features.First, it should be strategy driven. If you continue to run the same strategy you won’t get results. You need a dif-ferent strategy if you want to improve your game.Second, it should be built around per-sonal accountability. Individuals must own their work and make a commit-ment to it. They must have openness and willingness or they will not get to where they want to be. Commitment can move mountains.

thing in business. We’re extremely results oriented.”When asked how he approaches the task of training and coaching, Cordoso offers four essential steps.First, identify your needs. Which co mpeten cy are you addressing? What is not happening or what would you like to see happen?Second, identify your team’s level of competency. Find out exactly how your team is performing and evaluate the intellectual hardware available to meet tasks.

eSSenTial PRaCTiCeS

Then identify the gap. Once you know where you want to go, and where you are, you can figure out the distance between these two points.Finally, build the programme. “In a yearly performance review, a manager identifies the skills gaps of everyone,” says Cardoso. “For each gap, we have to clar-ify it pedagogically.”

Customisation is key. One size doesn’t fit all. A line manager points out areas of potential growth or need and coaches tailor a programme to address it.Finally, continuous follow-up is needed. Humans are creatures of habit. People who work with a coach see results fast, but then they need to stay with it. CoachDynamix recommends a com-mitment of at least four months.Because training is a directive process where the trainer delivers a specification, evaluation can be fairly simple: is your team or individual employee better able to confront the demands of their job?When it comes to selecting a consult-ant, “more than ever, the personality is very important,” says Bernard. “It’s really a question of integrating the values of a


Business

3•

Jun

MASTER PLANEuro zone leaders in-cluding Jean-Claude

Juncker are working on a “mas-ter plan” to integrate budget policy and create a “political union” in the EU, German news-paper Welt am Sonntag said. The plan will be presented to EU ministers at the end of June.

24•

may

PRICELESSThe EU General Court upheld Brussels’ ban-

ning of minimum fees charged by MasterCard on cross-border purchases. The court agreed the price floor was anti-compet-itive. MasterCard said it would appeal to Europe’s top court, also based in Luxembourg.

24•

may

RBC HITRBC, Canada’s largest bank, announced a

C$202 million net loss after buying out half of Esch-based RBC Dexia from its ex-joint ven-ture partner in April. Without the deal, RBC’s international banking division would have posted a C$6 million profit.

Joint INFPC-CRP Henri Tudor seminar on continuing education held at the Abbaye de Neumünster in May

company--corresponding with us, under-standing our culture and what we’re doing. Very often, for the tailor-made solutions, real partnerships develop that go over a long time. And that relationship is based on confidence.” In order to ensure this dynamic, Banque de Luxembourg allows employees to meet several coaches before choosing one with whom they will work. Cordoso uses an enhanced eval-uation process four months after each coaching or training series. “In both cases, you have to be precise with the goal,” he says. “You have to try to set indica-tors. It’s not always easy, but this way, your review will show how the training affects your daily work.” Executive coach-

ing is currently an unregulated field, so accreditation is important. Luxembourg has an active chapter of the Interna-tional Coaching Federation. Their mem-bers are certif ied and meet exacting standards for excellence and profes-sionalism.Coaching is trendy in the current business climate, and training pro-grammes proliferate the web and cor-porate community. Whether experts in the field work as trainers or coaches, they agree on one thing: the field is diverse and no single solution will address every issue. There is no sub-stitute for a tailor-made regimen cou-pled with hard work.

You have To be PReCiSe WiTh The goal”

Claude Cardoso: each skills gap is different

31•may

Luxembourg’s global com-petitiveness ranking (IMD)

12th


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Business

The final of the four ‘APSI days’ for 2012 sees the association for the infor-mation society join forces with Amcham (specifically its IT committee) for the first time. “We want to have more coordi-nation between the different associations that organise events like this. Both of us had the subject of mobile payments on our agenda,” says APSI vice-president and PwC partner Philippe Pierre. The September 27 conference will look at changes in regulations for mobile pay-ments and the opportunities in the emerging market. Presentations will be made by Marc Hemmerling, the ABBL’s head of organisation, technology and payment systems, and Nadia Manzari, the CSSF’s deputy head of the general supervision department. Hemmerling will provide an overview of the chal-lenges, trends and opportunities for mobile payment, Manzari will explain the authorisation procedures and con-ditions for payments and e-money institutions.The transposition of a European direc-tive in May 2011 has opened up the mobile payments market to smaller companies. For instance, the capital requirements to set up an e-money institution have been reduced from one million to 350,000 euro, explains Emmanuelle Caruel-Henniaux, partner at PwC. “The law is only one year old, but the CSSF has told us, without wanting to quote precise figures, that there are already a couple of dozen applicants to create new entities.” The regulatory process to

obtain a licence is made all the easier by a special template questionnaire the CSSF has created especially for mobile payment and e-money entities--the first of its kind produced by the Luxem-bourg regulator. “It is clear form a business perspective that the landscape is changing dramatically, and will continue to change over the next five years,” says Pierre. “So the payment indus-try needs to respond to that, or maybe even drive innovative solutions to facilitate solutions.” The conference will address these challenges via a panel discussion moderated by PwC partner Gilles Van-derweyen and featuring Manzari, Alex-andre Rocheguide of Mobey and Jonathan Prince of Digicash.

“Luxembourg is very attractive because it is the first country to transpose the EU directive. Companies from Israel and South Africa have shown interest in set-ting up entities here, because they then receive the European passport for their products,” says Caruel-Henniaux. This underlines the government’s contin-ued efforts to make Luxembourg a centre for e-commerce. “It is good for the visibility of Luxembourg,” says Pierre. Recent investment in ICT infra-structure--improved connectivity and data centres--has also helped make Luxembourg more attractive. “All the ingredients are coming together at the same time.” www.apsi.lu; www.amcham.lu

EmmanuEllE CaruEl-HEnniaux and PHiliPPE PiErrE: dozens of companies are seeking to enter mobile payment market

Conference

Mobile payMentsopportunitiesChanges to regulations governing electronic money institutions and payment institutions means new entities are entering the market.Text: Duncan Roberts — Photo: Luc Deflorenne

34 - dElano - June 2012


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snapshots

2012: Luxembourg finance minister Luc Frieden and British ambassador Alice Walpole at a BCC monthly luncheon

2011: Claus Cramon Houmann and Gill Arcone on the greens during Golf Day

2010: Ben Lyon,

Thomas Flammant, Francoise Reuter

and Daniel Eischen at a

sustaining mem-ber’s cocktail

2008: Joanna Asbury, Katrin Hoogewijs, Soo Popenda and Carole Miltgen during the first members’ trade fair

2007: Current chair Robert Deed admires a singer from Opera à la carte, who is presenting a flower to James Clark during the chamber’s 15th anniversary in Mondorf

2011: Members ready to take the course in Colmar-Berg during the annual Drivers Day

2005: Former honorary chair Edmond Israel (right) during the annual Christmas dinner

2004: BCC members visit Cargolux facilities at Findel airport with then British ambassador James Clark

2004: The British Chamber opens its office at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce building

The British Chamber of Commerce for Luxembourg celebrates its 20th anni-versary on June 27 during a summer fête--for its nearly 300 company and individual members--at the British ambassador’s residence. To mark the occasion, Delano takes a look back at the history and diversity of some of the chamber’s events. AG

Networking

TwenTy candles for The BccPhotos: Steve Eastwood (archives)

Business

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Acquisitions involving Luxembourg com-panies stereotypically involve a foreign player announcing its new subsidiary in the Grand Duchy. But one recent deal has gone the other way: SGG, one of the Luxembourg’s major corporate and fund administration services providers, bought out Dutch counterpart ANT earlier this year.While 118-year old ANT had seen many suitors come and go, none were able to convince the 200 shareholders--mem-bers of the founding Amsterdam and Rotterdam families--to sell their stakes, until SGG came calling.Being a firm from the Grand Duchy was a definite advantage in convincing the families, says CEO Serge Kran-cenblum. “They were convinced they had to team up with a Luxembourg firm because their clients, and our clients, both have needs on both sides of the border.”The deal expands SGG’s global reach rather than its line-up of services, he explains. Both corporate trust firms have long focused on supporting private equity

and real estate funds, multinationals and high net worth families. While SGG started a small Dutch branch in 2006 and acquired boutique provider IMFC in 2011, the addition of ANT means the group now has 230 staff in the Netherlands, almost as many as its 250 in Luxembourg. In addition, “they have strong operations in Hong Kong and Shanghai, and also in the Caribbean and we were not there,” Krancenblum notes.Moreover, SGG is integrating ANT executives into its global management team. For example, the head of ANT’s Rotterdam office, André Nagelmaker, is now SGG’s international business devel-opment chief, and former ANT director Adrie Beerepoot is now group CFO.But Krancenblum says SGG has no appetite to devour another firm in the near term. “If we are going to invest in another market, we want to be able to ser-vice the same kind of clients” that the firm has today. So “we won’t start offices and put a flag everywhere” if it means a chain of branches “with just two people.” AG

Carlo SChleSSer and Serge KranCenblum: adding to the firm’s global flavourLu

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Financial services

DUTCH TREAT A Luxembourg corporate trust firm swallows a big competitor in the Netherlands.

In numbers

Potential Grexit losses

As Greece heads to the polls on June 17,

estimates of the losses following

a potential Greek exit from the euro

zone, a “Grexit,” continue to mount.

How much is at stake? • AG

exPosure to Greek

sovereiGn debt

n German state

n European Central Bank

n French state

n French banks

n IMF

n German banks

n Other banks in the euro zone

nFrench banks

nUK banksnGerman banks

nOther international banks

exPosure to the

Greek central bank

nFrench central bank

nGerman central bank

nOther 15 euro zone central banks

Sources: Berenberg Bank, Bank of International Settlements, Eurogroup, JP Morgan, The Economist, and the Université Catholique de Lille’s IESEG School of Management.

exPosure to Private

Greek debt

c30.7 billion

c4.5 billion

c19.8 billionc22 billion

c43.7 billion

c56 billion

c59.6 billion

c14.3 billion

c4.7 billion

c6.4 billion

c29.4 billion

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80c22.7 billion

c77.1 billion

c30.2 billion


because you can keep up with the cur-rent politics?AG: What do you think about Lux-embourgers?ZZ: This is probably very, very wrong, and this is a very superficial observa-tion: I’m not sure if Luxembourgish people are so international. I think this is a place where needs can be suf-ficed, so you don’t really go out on a limb and go to different countries for opportunities. This is a very oppor-tune place. I would imagine that’s why integrating, making friends with Lux-embourgish people is very difficult. I’m not saying it’s a closed society. It [makes Luxembourg] even that much more beautiful. AG: What is your advice for new-comers?ZZ: You have to see that it’s a very small place and you have to put together your own puzzle out of it. If you’re looking to be entertained, it’s not a big city. A big city is like step-ping on an escalator, the ground moves underneath you. This is more like a Rubik’s Cube. If you’re looking to be entertained or for opportunities to network with people, you have to look for the small pieces and arrange it for yourself.I can’t imagine you need this negativ-ity that’s it’s not offering enough. You are not calculative enough to get what it has to offer.

After finishing high school in her native Sofia, Zheni Zhekova studied political science in The Hague and Ottawa before starting a master of law pro-gramme in Maastricht. She moved to the University of Luxembourg last autumn for her second year of legal studies. She hopes to stay in the Grand Duchy to pursue a doctorate of law, and ultimately serve in a European institu-tion. In April, Zhekova received first prize as the “best European Commis-sion representative” in the European regional final of the European Law Moot Court Competition held at the European Court of Justice in Kirchberg.

AG: How intense was the moot court competition?ZZ: I think it shorted my life by a year!About 80 universities from all over Europe, the States, Canada and China submitted written works. Only 48 got ranked. Then there’s four regionals. Our team was in the top four of our region, but then we came in second. It was that close.AG: How is Luxembourg different than the three other capital cities you’ve lived in?ZZ: In a big city, everybody wants to be seen. There’s a lot of exposure and you want to show that you’ve arrived as a business person, as a legal person, as a politician. And here, everybody ’s someone.

Everyone says this, and it’s a little bit of a cliché, but ‘everybody knows every-body and you don’t have a chance.’ Well, then get to know people yourself!If you come in an environment where people have roots and families and they know each other, then you’re going to have to have something extra special to attract attention in that small environment.So it is different. I think it is small and it doesn’t look like it moves very intensely, but it moves quietly.AG: Is it vital to speak French here?ZZ: French is important here, but I would not say that you cannot survive without it.AG: What about off-campus?ZZ: You have to speak a little bit of French.AG: Why are you reluctant to find friends from your native country?ZZ: Of course I have several acquaint-ances from Bulgaria. There is a danger in affiliating with people from your home country. It’s comfortable. Com-fortable is not necessarily productive; for personal growth, for fulfilling each other’s needs, for moving forward. You somehow cling to something that is no longer. You are no longer in your home country. You are who you are. Of course you can have friends, but why are you friends? Is it because you speak the same language? Is it because you went to the same high school? Is it

Bulgarian

Look for the smaLL pieces”Nine month resident in Luxembourg Zheni Zhekova gives her insight into living and studying in the Grand Duchy.Interview: Aaron Grunwald — Photo: Olivier Minaire Zheni Zhekova: the opportunities

are there

“


Think local: Zheni Zhekova

EAQUALS (the European Association for Quality Language Services) est le seul standard de qualité largement reconnu au niveau européen dans le domaine de l’en-seignement des langues.

61, rue de StrasbourgL-2561 Luxembourg

T. +352 40 39 [email protected]

business

The events planner

ON THE HORIZONDelano presents a guide to the next few months of business, social and informational events for Luxembourg’s international community. Events are listed by organiser. Advance registration or fees may be required, so consult the website indicated for full details. All events are held in English unless otherwise noted.


SOCIAL CRMSylvain Cottong presents the new software and organisational tech-niques available to help improve

customer relationship management via social media.

Abbaye de Neumünster, Luxembourg-Grund, 8:30-13:00

SUMMER DRINKSThe club wraps up its fourth season of roundtables, speeches, expositions, workshops and tast-

ings with a fun, informal net working cocktail.

Venue to be announced, 18:00-23:00

TIGFIwww.tigfi.org

EU STABILITYLouise Bang Jespersen, Denmark’s ambassador to Luxembourg, talks to the financial ethics club about the Danish presidency of the EU,

which ends in July.

Cercle Munster, Luxembourng-Grund, 11:30

19•

sep

ALFIwww.alfi.lu

3•

Jul

ALTERNATIVESPart of the “leading edge” series, this conference examines the po-tential impact of the EU’s AIFMD

regulatory regime on hedge funds.

RBC Dexia building, Esch-Alzette, all day event

18•

sep

GLOBAL FUNDSOrganised with US partner NICSA and Hong Kong partner

HKIFA, the conference tackles Asian markets, UCITS V and the AIFMD, among other invest-ment management topics.

Conference Centre, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, all day event

AMCHAMwww.amcham.lu

28•

Jun

SUMMER DANCEFriendship, fun and networking, a great tombola, with a BBQ dinner, drinks, and music entertainment

provided by “Come Back 60s”.

Kikuoka Golf Club, Canach, 18:30

BrITIsH CHAMBerwww.bcc.lu

DP CHIEFClaude Meisch, president of the Democratic Party and head of its parliamentary group, talks about

the sovereign debt crisis.

Hotel Meliá, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, 12:00-14:00

12•

Jul

TAXI TALKDaniel Tesch, director of the Au-tomobile Club of Luxembourg, talks about the public debate

and lobbying effort behind the planned new taxi service “YellowCab by ACL.”

DoubleTree by Hilton, Luxembourg- Dommeldange, 12:00-14:00

28•

sep

GOLF DAYThe chamber’s annual charity golf tournament is followed by cocktails and an evening prize-

giving dinner. There will also be a beginner’s clinic in the afternoon.

Golf Club de Luxembourg, Junglinster, starting at 10:00

FeMALe CHIeFswww.ffcel.lu

27•

Jun

STAR PERFORMERSDominique de Kuysche talks about managing “personalities” in the workplace during the group’s

monthly luncheon conference. In French.

Restaurant Namur, Luxembourg-Hamm, 12:00-14:00

INDIAN CHAMBerwww.ibcl.lu

18•

Jun

DRUGS HANDLINGSeminar on how India--with its growing pharmaceutical sector--and Luxembourg--with its emerg-

ing pharmaceutical logistics niche--can develop in tandem.

CRP Henri Tudor, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, 18:00

INTerNATIONs www.internations.org/luxembourg-expats

CANADA DAYYou don’t have to be Canadian to join this national day celebra-tion. Bring something to BBQ, as

a free grill will be available on the terrace.

Marx Bar, Luxembourg-Hollerich, 14:00 through the evening

MEET EXPATSThe group’s monthly speed net-working event. A free welcome drink is included with admission (a beer or soft drink for all, or a

glass of crémant for ladies only).

Trombar, Rives de Clausen, 19:00-23:59

THe NeTWOrKwww.the-network.lu

SUMMER DRINKSThe professional wom-en’s networking group

hosts two casual after work events. If you’re in town, why not make some new connections?

Frenchie’s, Luxembourg-city centre, 18:30

12•

Jul

11•

Jul

20•

Jun

19•

Jun

19•

Jun

1•

Jul

22•

aug

club.paperjam.lu

18•

Jul

We invite you to submit an event by sending an email to: [email protected]

80 years Automobile Club of LuxembourgExclusive trip to China for ACL-members

10-day trip Beijing – Xi’an – ShanghaiOctober 2012 - February 2013

Experience the chinese culture and explore the most impressive cultural highlights. Travel together with the ACL, accompanied by china-experienced guides as well as ACL-staff.

For detailed information about the trip and the Automobile Club of Luxembourg, please visit:

www.acl.lu

as of 1.469,00 euros

acl_ad_delano_190x117.indd 1 04/06/12 16:46

17 JULY 2012Parvis de l’Abbaye de NeumünsterConcert

Bon IVER

Send an email mentioning “den Atelier/BON IVER” to [email protected] Deadline for entries is 6 JULY 2012

Winners will be notified by email

Win

concert

tickets!

Delano_0612_Atelier.indd 1 31/5/12 11:03 AM041_ACLATELIER.indd 1 5/6/12 4:40 PM

“

cover story

Bruce Baker

Luxembourg... is run by boxing peopLe” The head of the PBPA explains why he has facilitated one of the most controversial boxing matches in years under the auspices of the Luxembourg Boxing Federation.Text: Duncan Roberts — Photos: Jelle Van Seghbroeck

It is a tale of violence, political intrigue, international negotiation, legal threats and, of course, money. It could end with the career of one of two sports-men in ruins, yet could be the first step on a road to redemption for the other. The boxing match between Dereck Chisora and David Haye on July 14 at the home of West Ham United has caused a stir far beyond the boxing community, and Luxembourg is right at the centre of the action. Neither of the fighters currently holds a British Boxing Board of Control (BBB of C) licence. Haye relinquished his when he retired in the autumn of 2011, while Chisora had his revoked after a brawl with Haye in Munich at a post-match press conference after Chisora lost a fight to Vitali Klitschko. So both fighters will be licensed by the Fédéra-tion Luxembougeoise de Boxe (FLB), a move that has delighted many--in-cluding some 30,000 fight fans who have already bought tickets--and enraged others.

The media spotlight surrounding the fight falls quite naturally on the two combatants, whose antagonism at the press conference announcing the match bristled with the threat of violence; the uncontrolled sort that was seen in Munich. Chisora’s manager, the irre-pressible boxing promoter Frank War-ren, has also been the subject of media interest. But amid all the brouhaha and preening, self-promotion and mud-sling-ing, one man who has been instrumental in facilitating the match, Bruce Baker, has been calmly putting across his point of view. Baker is the chairman of the Professional Boxing Promoters Associ-ation (PBPA), which counts as its mem-bers around 20 promoters licensed by the BBB of C.

Disenchantment

“For some years now we have been con-cerned at the dictatorial way the board runs boxing in the UK,” explains Baker. This disenchantment culminated last year with licence holders protesting at

the BBB of C’s annual general meet-ing. Even though it agreed to a meet-ing with a delegation of those licence holders, the BBB of C decided not act on their grievances. “Unlike the Luxem-bourg Federation which is a democratic organisation, the BBB of C is a self appointed body with the directors appoint-ing themselves and the area council offic-ers, who are the only people who can vote at the AGM,” Baker says. “Therefore you have a ridiculous situation where the licence holders who are the shareholders have no vote and have no voice in how the company is run. It became obvious to us that the board would continue to operate boxing without the consent of the licence holders and that if we wanted to effect change we would have to look for an alter-native.”That alternative presented itself in the form of the FLB. As Baker explains, “professional boxing is a village” and although the PBPA had considered negotiating with other federations to stage matches in the UK, it soon became

Thorns in The side of The BBB of C: Toni Tiberi, Bruce Baker and Pierre Back


cover story

Top Billing: a promotional poster for the big fight

clear that Luxembourg was the pre-mier choice. “Luxembourg attracted us because it is run by boxing people for the benefit of the clubs and boxers it repre-sents. We knew that it was already sanc-tioning promotions outside of Luxembourg, so it was therefore well placed to work with us in the UK.” Indeed, as Pierre Back, president of the Luxembourg federation, explains, the FLB has worked with the German Boxing Association, a breakaway from the Bund Deutscher Berufsboxer, and has staged matches across the border. “We are keen to open our doors to any-one involved in boxing--managers, pro-moters, fighters--who are not content with the federation in their own country,” says Back. And, as Baker points out, Back and the FLB general secretary, Toni Tiberi, are both boxing men. Back is a former Luxembourg light-weight champion (1955-56) who has also written a definitive history of box-ing in Luxembourg. Tiberi is a referee and judge who has adjudicated at inter-national bouts in Belgium, Germany and France. Furthermore, the FLB has existed for 90 years, seven years

longer than the BBB of C, which was founded in 1929.

Five-year DeaL

Formal discussions between the PBPA and the Luxembourg federation were started in February. On March 12 the PBPA was appointed as the UK repre-sentative for the FLB--long before the idea of a Haye versus Chisora match was being seriously mooted. It is a deal that will last for five years, and other shows will be announced in the future. “The deal with Frank Warren came after the agreement and not because of it,” Baker explains. Warren’s general man-ager attended a PBPA meeting and asked Baker if they would be interested in being involved with a possible Haye v. Chisora showdown. “We considered the matter and sent the proposal to Luxem-bourg, who, after reviewing all the evi-dence, agreed that we could sanction the show and license both boxers.” Pierre Back concurs, saying that the idea of the match had the full agreement of the FLB board save for the dissenting voice of Raymond Goy. A boxing manager, Goy resigned from the board in pro-

test, and also stepped down from his position as president of the Dudelange boxing club. “Nobody is shedding tears over that decision,” says Back. Perhaps slightly more serious is the position of the minister of sport, Romain Schneider, who has also voiced his dis-approval of the FLB licensing the match. In a letter to Back, Schneider said that the federation’s decision threatened to shed poor light on Lux-embourg sport in general. The minis-ter also “suspended” the FLB’s advance subsidy of 2,458 euro for 2012. Back says the letter from Schneider is ridic-ulous, and that it says “ in order to have an agreement with the ministry, the federation has to meet a number of requirements that are not specifically enumerated.” But Back is not worried, as he has lined up a deal with a sponsor for a significantly higher sum--a spon-sor who, in Back’s words, “was not happy with the minister’s reaction and found it shameful.”At a meeting in Liege over the first weekend of June the European Boxing Union (EBU) board voted to suspend the Luxembourg federation, and then

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riCh hisTory: a boxing match at

the home of Racing-Club in 1918, four years before

the FLB was founded

to exclude it if it went ahead with the licensing of the match on July 14. Both Frank Warren and Sauerland Event, a German company promoting three fights on the undercard at Upton Park--including one WBA International Championship contest--said they would go ahead with the show “regardless of the recent decision of the EBU regarding the Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Boxe.” Warren’s representatives said that even if Luxembourg were to pull out of licensing the match, there were f ive other federations interested in doing so. A meeting of the FLB two days later voted by 226 to 14 in favour of going ahead with the fight. Pierre Back said after that meeting that the FLB was “ keeping its word” on the fight. He said he was deeply disappointed by the EBU decision, especially as the FLB was a founding member of the group, and wondered if it was not time for an alternative European association to be set up to rival the EBU.While Haye, Chisora, Warren and Haye’s manager, Adam Booth, will undoubtedly make lots of money from the bout on July 14, Back says that the

FLB has not yet struck a deal regard-ing finances. “What we get is the money for issuing the licences. We looked at what they would pay in the UK and agreed on a fair price compared to what we usually charge. Nothing else has been decided. I said it was a matter of prestige, because never has so much been talked about box-ing in Luxembourg--nobody wanted to know before.”

everboDy’s taLking

Indeed, Luxembourg is on everyone’s lips when they talk about the big fight. “The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg makes an unlikely invading force, but their tanks are on the lawn of the British Boxing Board of Control,” writes chief sports writer Paul Hayward in The Telegraph. The fight has sparked heated debate among sports journalists, fight fans and professionals involved with the sport. Some are full of praise for Lux-embourg for taking a stand against what they see as the hypocritical authority of the British Boxing Board of Control. After all, they argue, numerous other boxers have done worse than Chisora and still been allowed to

fight. Indeed, The Telegraph columnist Matthew Norman says boxing is a “sport historically populated by mobsters, drug addicts, rapists, killers and assorted villains” and that a minor brawl at a press conference would hardly be regarded as bringing the sport into dis-repute.Kevin Mitchell, the tennis and boxing correspondent for The Guardian and Observer says that “British boxing stands on the brink of a damaging civil war” after the the BBB of C threatened to strip any of its licence holders involved in any way with the fight. “The implica-tions are wide-ranging because the term licence-holder refers to everyone from pro-moters, managers, boxers and trainers through to officials, including referees, judges and timekeepers,” writes Mitchell. This does not faze Baker, who says the threat is “ just that.” He says that the BBB of C must comply with EU laws governing the free movement of goods and services. “We have taken legal advice on behalf of ourselves, our members and the Luxembourg Federation and we can tell you that should the Board of Control implement these threats, they will be met

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cover story

pierre BaCk: never has so much been talked about boxing in Luxembourg

Fédération Luxembourgeoise de boxeFounded: 1922Member of: European Amateur Boxing Association (AEBA), European Boxing Union (EBU) World Boxing Council (WBC)

Number of affiliated clubs: 7Number of licensed boxers: 43Number of pro boxers: 4 (the others are Kevin Haas and Urum Sylaj)

www.boxe.lu

with a legal challenge. I would like to go on record and say that it is reprehensible that a governing body should threaten its members in such a dictatorial manner when they are just carrying out their normal course of business.”

open Door

Baker explains that the BBB of C’s decision to withdraw Chisora’s license but not to ban him from the sport left the door open for the fight to happen. They told Chisora that he could either appeal the decision or apply for a new license. “Or, and this is the pertinent part, he could apply for a license with another governing body. At that point the Boxing Board of Control had dealt with the mat-ter and as far as they were concerned that was the end of it. The German Federation and the WBC are both holding between them $100,000 of Chisora’s purse. They have found him guilty without a hearing. This is no sort of justice.”Baker says that the outrage concerning the Haye v. Chisora fight is mainly from interested parties. “The German Feder-ation holds Chisora’s money and is also the

sanctioning body for the Klitchkos, who have a fight coming up in Switzerland sanctioned by the German Federation. The BBB of C are using the Haye v. Chi-sora fight as a smoke screen to cloud the real issue, which is trying to prevent Lux-embourg from sanctioning promotions in the UK.”Baker clearly believes that the PBPA deal with the FLB is the f irst step to revolutionising boxing in Britain by providing competition. And his con-science is clear that the PBPA has acted above-board. Indeed, even as the deal with the FLB was being bro-kered, Baker told Robert Smith, the general secretary of the BBB of C, how it was going to work and the rea-sons behind the cooperation with Lux-embourg. “When I was a young man Radio Lux-embourg broadcast pop music to the UK and was the front runner in changing broadcasting in the UK. I feel that the Luxembourg Federation with the support of the Luxembourg people will help to modernise the Boxing Board of Control in the UK.”

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Jean Hansen: getting there is more than half the fun

Luxembourg has only one all-British sports car club that spans everything from Mini to Lotus, and from both classic to more modern models. “I’ve been passionate about cars from six years old on,” enthuses Jean Hansen, who has been president of the British Sports Car Owner’s Club for nearly 25 years.“When I was 18, there were no contempo-rary cabriolets on the market,” he recalls. “So I decided to search for an old one and found a 1964 Spitfire that I had to restore. I restored it over a year and I still have it now. Of course, that led to other cars.”Indeed, today Hansen also has a 1954 Jaguar MK II, which is “good for cruis-ing,” a 1966 MGB coupe, and his main rally car, a 1970 Triumph 2000. In addi-tion, he has several other British cars that he is in the process of refurbishing, and admits to driving a BMW as well.But it was while he was in the midst of fixing up that Spitfire that someone mentioned the then-newly formed Brit-ish sports car club to him, which he joined in 1978. These days the BSCOC has about 150 active members, with Aston Martin, Austin Healy, Bentley, Jaguar, MG and Triumph the most common badges represented.The first Friday night of the month, the group meets in a Contern restaurant. “We talk, eat and drink.” Naturally much of the conversation centres on helping

COMMITTEEJean Hansen (president)Marc Weyer (vice president)Thierry Hilger (secretary)Bob Feyereisen (assistant secretary)Claude Betzen (treasurer)Claude Feyereisen (assistant treasurer)Luc Lamberty (board member)

PRACTICAL INFOBritish Sports Car Owner’s ClubConservatoire National de Véhicules Historiques20 rue de StavelotL-9280 DiekirchTel.: +352 23 67 71 32 [email protected]

British Sports Car Owner’s Club

No SuNday driverSFor 35 years the group has been helping Anglophile auto aficionados connect over everything from transmissions to tailfins.

networking

Car clubs

IT’s A PAssIONThere are dozens of motoring clubs in the Grand Duchy dedicated to specific makes and models. Here is a sampling of just a few.

Austin Healey Club LuxembourgTel.: 33 80 82

Lotus Club Luxembourgwww.lotusclub.lu

MG Car Club Luxembourgwww.mgcarclub.lu

Mighty Mini Frënn www.miniclub.lu

Spitfire Club LuxembourgTel.: 54 89 75

Links to groups with both a British and a non-British focus can be found on the website of the LOF, Luxembourg’s classic car club federation. www.lof.lu

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each other with restoration projects. “If someone has problems finding spares, we give him addresses and supply technical help.”The last Friday evening of the month members take a spin together, departing from the American cemetery in Hamm.In addition, the club organises about half a dozen special excursions each year, including two or three overnight trips in the Grand Duchy and abroad. Last year one notable expedition was a weekend ramble along the historic Reims race circuit that criss-crosses Champagne.Three big activities are planned for this coming summer and autumn’s driving weather. The pinnacle event will be the 36th British Sports Car Days, which will be held the weekend of June 16-17 in Bourscheid, along the Sûre river. Along with Luxembourg residents, car owners from Belgium and Germany are expected to participate.In July, the club will take part in the Luxembourg Oldtimer Federation’s sum-mer tour in Echternach, which is a fun-draiser for Télévie, the Grand Duchy’s largest charity appeal.

After work runMembers hit the road the last Friday of the month. Contact the club in advance for details. US Cemetery, Luxembourg-Hamm, 6.30 p.m.

REGULAR MEETINGsRoundtableThe club sits down the first Friday of the month to cover all things British cars. Non-members welcome.Conterstuff, Contern, 8 p.m.

FACT FILEFounded: 1977 Number of British makes represented: 110Oldest active car: 1930 Bentley 4½ Blower

Then the annual autumn night rally takes place in October (at press time, the destination had not yet been announ ced).Hansen says that when the club hits the road, members normally get a posi-tive response from folks they meet along the way. Although occasionally someone complains about their “old stinking cars,” he says with a laugh.While the club is mostly made up of Luxembourgers, it has a few interna-tional members and those originally from abroad are most welcome, stresses Hansen. In fact, former board mem-bers have hailed from the Netherlands and South Africa.“Our club is a friendly club,” Hansen underscores. “There are many members who are also friends in private.”He also prefers the group’s all-British, open minded approach. “When you have a club for one make, you have people who are very concentrated on this special car and then other cars are no good. We have all cars. So if someone comes with a Spit-fire or with an Aston Martin, for us it’s the same guy.” AG


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Social

SCOTTISH ASSOC.The Scottish Association of Luxembourg pro-motes “all things Scottish” and raise money for worthy causes. Open to all nationalities.www.albaluxembourg.lu

ExpatS

INTERNATIONS InterNations Luxembourg is an expatriate com-munity for people living and working in the Grand Duchy as well as all “global minds”.www.internations.org/luxembourg-expats

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BraderieAs summer draws to a close, the annual street sales in the city provide a chance of bargain hunters to shop till they drop. First launched in 1929, the street sales take place on the first Monday in September and coin-cide with the Schueberfouer funfair. Retail-ers set up stands on the sidewalks and food and drinks stalls as well as entertainment are also laid on. Be warned, the early bargain hunters are already shopping when the sales open at 8 a.m. and getting around the city, for those who have to work, is also trickier than usual. September 3, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. www.cityshopping.lu

NatioNal dayThe biggest celebrations of the year are held on the eve of National Day as Luxembourg parties till dawn in honour of the Grand Duke’s official birthday. Tens of thousands of people flock to the capital city to watch a torch-light parade, a truly impressive fire-works display and to party until dawn. On National Day itself, a mass in the cathedral is followed by a military parade on avenue de la Liberté as well as a family party in the Pétrusse. June 22 (eve) and June 23, Luxembourg

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SchueBerfouerNo event in Luxembourg attracts more visi-tors than the annual funfair on the Glacis. Originally a shepherd’s market, it is now a family day out, with parents guarding their wallets as kids go crazy for rides, games and all sorts of colourful sugary treats. For others it is a chance to meet in a group for a few drinks and then face tests of courage in front of friends who dare each other to go on the most hair-raising rides. And, it is also a place to try out local foods such as Gebackener (baked or fried) fish and chips and the ubiquitous Gromperekichelcher (friend potato cakes)August 23 to September 11, Glacis, www.fouer.lu

Traditions

THREE SummER EvENTS

club lifEA regular list of local associations. Submit a text for inclusion by sending a mail to:[email protected]

“Luxembourg is...

my home; a place of compromise and disagreement, conformity and difference, submission and resistance, ignorance and cultivation, a place where you could be lucky and happy and not even know it.”

laurent Kreintz: director of the Luxembourg City Youth Hostel


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THE KNOwlEdgEhow to... check your car for Summer holidayS

More and more people use their private car as a means of travel for their summer holidays. The Automo-bile Club offers drivers a full range of tests before setting out on a long journey:1 You want to make sure your car

is in good condition before setting out to drive to the south of France or somewhere of similar distance?2 You don’t want to pay the service

charges at your local dealership 3 Contact the Automobile Club

Luxembourg’s Diagnostic Center 4 Tell them you want to put your

car through a Test Vacances--this involves checking oil levels and tyre pressure among other things5 Book an appointment. The test

costs just 30 euro for members and 36 euro for non-members6 Take your car to the Diagnostic

Center in Bertrange and you and your passengers will feel that little bit safer on your holidays.www.acl.lu

buSinESS

INdIAN BuSINESS CHAmBERPromotes the development of trade, economic, financial, educational, legal, scientific and cultural relations.www.ibcl.lu

Scouting

TElSTARThe Telstar International Scout Group provides an exciting programme of activities for young people from 6-18 years of age.www.telstar.lu

Sport

FRISKIS & SvETTISOffers fun and accessible high quality work-outs, with qualif ied instructors, for every-body. Outdoor sessions are held each summer.www.friskis.lu

JeaN colomBera The 58-year doctor and ADR member of the Chamber of Deputies may well have to appear in court for prescribing cannabis to some of his patients. Colombera has been a strident lobbyist for a relaxation of the laws governing the use of cannabis, and says it can be used for medical treatments of depression or insomnia. But the law states that even when prescribed by a doctor, can-nabis can only be taken for a maximum of seven days and must be obtained from a reg-istered Luxembourg pharmacy.

BoB JuNgelSWhile the focus in Luxembourg of casual cycling fans falls quite naturally on the Schleck brothers ahead of this year’s Tour de France, a youngster rising through the ranks has caught the attention of those with a real passion for the sport. Bob Jungels is not yet 20, yet his results this year have been outstanding. In early May he won the Flèche du Sud, a race around the south of Luxembourg with a history dating back to 1949. That fol-lowed overall victory in the Le Triptyque des Monts et Châ-teaux over three days at the beginning of April (and he also won the best rush and best points classifications) and two sec-ond places in France and Italy. And then, in early June, Jungels won the best young rider title over the tough cobbles of the traditional one-day Paris–Roubaix road race. All pointing to a future packed with as much promise as that enjoyed by the more illustrious team-mates at RadioShack Nissan Trek.www.leopardtrek.lu

laura SchroederThe Luxembourg director sees her first feature film, Schatz-ritter an d’Geheimnis vun Melusina, released early in July. The children’s adventure film tells the story of four kids who become embroiled in a search for a secret while on summer camp. The film has been eagerly anticipated ever since Lux-embourg producers, Lucil Film, launched a search for the four young leads some 18 months ago. Meanwhile, Laura is working on her second feature, Desper-ate Kingdom of Love, about the strained relationships between three generations of females from the same family. www.lauraschroeder.net

People in the news

THE CRuCIAl THREE

Pedal fun

CyCling getaways

There are more than 500 km of dedicated bike paths in Luxembourg, covering all levels of difficulty and all the types of terrain found in the Grand Duchy. www.biking-tours.luMore than 60 hotels, B&Bs, hostels and campgrounds have been certified as “bike friendly” for cyclists touring the country.In French & German - www.bedandbike.lu

discounts (ii)

leisure CardsThese free passes get you discounts on activities across the Greater Region.Order Escapades in Wallonia vouch-ers online: www.belgium-tourism.netIn addition to its published guide, which includes the Pompidou Cen-tre-Metz (photo), the Pass Lorraine offers “flash promos” on Facebook:www.facebook.com/passlorraineRheinland-Pfalz and Saarland have a handy joint FreizeitCard:www.visitsaarland.co.uk/en/leisurecard

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The national tourism office’s Luxem-bourg Pass features free entry into 55 tourist sites, including most of the country’s major museums, the Bock Casemates (photo), and swimming cen-

tres, along with free unlimited use of trains and buses nationwide.The card also gets you reduced prices on some summer performance tickets (such as at the Grand Théâtre) and the capital’s popular hop on-hop off bus.The price runs from 11 for a single one-day pass to 54 for a three-day pass good for five people.www.luxembourgcard.lu

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Picnics are great fun in an idyllic set-ting, and they don’t come much more idyllic in the city centre than the gar-den of the Villa Vauban. The fine art museum is hosting picnic lunches every day, except Tuesdays and Sundays, throughout the summer. Food can be ordered online up to 10 a.m. on the day itself (so diners can check whether the weather is suitable) and a blanket is also provided. What’s more, picnick-ers get free entrance to the museum,

which is well worth checking out of only for the current exhibition featuring a restored Breughel masterpiece.And those who cannot find the time for a picnic during lunch break can still enjoy the experience on Fridays after work from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The food is prepared by Altrimenti in Limperst-berg (www.altrimenti.lu) and includes Italian anti-pasti, salads, focaccia and ciabbata sandwiches as well as desserts.www.villavauban.lu

Picnic

dÉjeuner sur l’herbe at the Villa

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Heritage

Centurion footstepsMuch of the Greater Region was ori-ginally founded by the Romans. The Roman Road--which goes through Luxembourg, Saarland, Rheinland-Pfalz and Lorraine--brings the era’s history to life.The trail links together more than 120 loca les, from the original Moselle win-eries in Remerschen and Roman villas in Echternach and Perl, to the baths and bathing museum in Zülpich and the UNESCO listed sites in Trier.Several Roman festivals, some featuring gladiator games, take place through the first weekend of September (photo).www.visitsaarland.co.uk/en/roman-road

fresH water

take a dip

Although some of Luxembourg’s inland bathing areas failed to score the top marks in a recent survey, there is still fun to be had at the two main lakeside areas almost at oppo-site ends of the country. The man-made Upper Sûre reservoir is a magnet for sunbathers, swimmers and water-sports enthusiasts during the summer, while the artificial lake at Remerschen on the Moselle has become even more popular since the installation of the stylish Chalet du Plage (photo).www.lechalet.lu

Moselle

taste loCal wineA summer’s day on a terrace is the best time to enjoy the crisp, fruity white wines made by vintners along the Moselle. The vineyards offer up some splendid views when walking, and after a hike several caves have restaurants or terraces at which visitors can enjoy a glass and watch the river glide by. Vinsmoselle offers wine tours for groups and also has a restaurant, An der Tourelle, in Stadbredimus. Bernard Massard in Grevenmacher also offers guided tours and has a tasting terrace open in the summer, and the Caves St Martin’s garden “pavilion” is also worth a visit.www.vinsmoselle.lu; www.bernard-massard.lu; www.cavesstmartin.lu

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Downtown complex

Courtyard gatheringsThe courtyard of the Downtown com-plex hosts the terraces of Decibel, The Lab and Choco as well as restaurant Mama Loves You (and Marx Bar also has a nice separate garden terrace). The chat and drinks flow with ease during summer evenings, and especially at the weekends or after a concert at the nearby den Atelier. We recommend having a pizza at Mama, trying one of The Lab’s test-tube shots and sam-pling the great range of speciality beers selected by Gareth at Decibel.

42-44 rue de Hollerich, Luxembourg-Hollerich, www.decibel.lu, www.mamalovesyou.lu, follow The Lab on Facebook

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sun trap

The terrace at Oscar’s in the Grund has been transformed into a beer garden, though minus the oompah music and lederhosen. The garden is a veritable sun trap, ideal for a summer lunch (Friday is still Fish & Chips day) or late all-day breakfast on a Saturday, or simply to meet friends and relax in the early evening glow of an aperitif or pre-dinner beers below the rock face of the valley walls.9 Bisserwee, Luxembourg-Grund, follow Oscar’s Bar & Kitchen on Facebook

exit07

Chill with the in-Crowd

If you want to hang out with the hippest creatives in Luxembourg, head down to Exit07. The venue hosts its regular Jeudiscover open evenings on Thursdays at which the art and design crowd gather to have a few drinks, view an exhibition and talk about their projects in a relaxed atmosphere. During Euro 2012, the bar is hosting “Goal Goal Goal“, a programme featuring concerts, documentary film and the screening of selected games with live commentary (in French). 1 rue de l’Aciérie, Luxembourg-Hollerich, www.rotondes.lu

Four venues to enjoy

terraCe life

ennert Dem Bam (mesa VerDe)

sound ChoiCes

The small terrace under the tree (hence the title) near Mesa Verde is a perfect place to enjoy the restaurant’s vegetarian and fish dishes--we still highly recom-mend the Kyoto-Dream menu. But owner Lucien Elsen is also launching a series of concerts during July. The Sound City Walk series starts on July 14 with per-formances by local female singers Sascha Ley, Deborah Lehnen and Vanessa Buffone and continues with jazz crossover from Sitha and Band and ambient poetry from Monophona on the 21st followed by Lata and Friends on the 28th. Lucien has also promised a clown festival sometime in August. 11 rue du St. Esprit, Luxembourg-Centre, www.mesa.lu

The next print edition of delano will be published on october 4. This summer keep up-to-date with daily news at Delano.lu and with Ten Things To Do This Week, our free app for iphone & ipad.

www.delano.lu

062012_final.indd 1 6/6/12 4:47 PM

Marianne &Germania &

Die Nationalbibliothek präsentiert

Marianne und Germania

in der Karikatur

(1550-1999)

La Bibliothèque nationale présente

Marianne et Germania

dans la caricature

(1550-1999)

14.06. - 31.08.2012

aux Archives nationales

14.06. - 31.08.2012 im Nationalarchiv

Bibliothèque nationale de Luxembourg

37, boulevard F.-D. Roosevelt · L-2450 Luxembourg

[email protected] · www.bnl.lu

Archives nationales de Luxembourg

Plateau du Saint-Esprit · L-1475 Luxembourg

[email protected] · www.anlux.lu

055_new.indd 1 6/6/12 4:51 PM

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Open since last year, Ben & Pepper goes for the unique, customized, “upcycling” concept. You’ll find vintage furniture restored with modern textiles and col-ours, along with exclusive handmade quality products, many of which are the work of new and upcoming local and international artists and designers. The store also has its own brand. “The idea is that you feel good as soon as you step into the boutique. Ben & Pepper isn’t just about opening a business, it’s about building and restoring the neighbourhood.”Ben & Pepper, 21 avenue de la Liberté, Luxembourg-Gare, www.benandpepper.com

Bang & Olufsen

Timeless perfecTionFor Danes, Bang & Olufsen has always been a synonym for quality products with an indefinite life span. Outside Hamlet’s homeland, the brand has served as a global icon for Danish design for decades thanks to its unique and innovative range (B&O gave aesthetic electronic devices a cult status long before Apple came into the picture). As Mads Skak Olufsen, owner of Bang & Olufsen in Luxembourg, says: “We constantly question the ordinary in search of sur prising, long-lasting experiences.” The store offers the latest B&O products and concepts in a display showing how they can integrate into your home.Bang & Olufsen, 21 rue de Beggen, Luxembourg-Eich, www.bang-olufsen.com

Co-founder of Carré Rouge, Michèle Rob, lives and breathes design. “My father was the first to open a design store in Luxembourg, in 1954, and I took over his

passion naturally.” The concept of this store is to offer “a selection of known classic brands and new quality ones.” Carré Rouge also has its own design studio, led by the other co-founder, Martin Dieterle. “What makes us different from most stores is that we don’t just sell furniture, we also make it and initiate projects,” says Rob. One of these projects is called “The Red Box”. “It’s a platform for young products and furniture designers. They can submit their portfolios and the one chosen by an external committee gets to showcase his or her work at Carré Rouge, most often prototypes or objects produced in small editions.” Carré Rouge also offers services like kitchen designing, interior design and transformation advice and planning.Carré Rouge, 119 rue de Hollerich, Luxembourg-Hollerich, www.carrerouge.lu

Carré rOuge

Today’s and Tomorrow’s classics

Seven ways to get

a unique homeBen & PePPer

The feel-good Touch

lifestyle


Beckstreet Five (no relation to a boy band) aims to bring you “beck to basics” by offering “the best of classic, contemporary and cutting-edge furniture”. The store car-ries all the big names, from Vitra and Stark to timeless giants such as Charles & Ray Eames and Arne Jacobsen. Much like a sanctuary for masterpieces where decades of design live together in perfect harmony.Beckstreet Five, 5 rue Beck, Luxembourg-City centre, www.beckstreet.lu

BeCkstreet five

sophisTicaTed basics

rOChe BOBOis

modern loveRoche Bobois is French for exclusive and inventive contemporary furni-ture. The store offers collections and creations from internationally renowned designers as well as astonishing stuff from young up-and-coming ones, some of whom get their break-through thanks to Roche Bobois. The brand also shows a real commitment to the“eco concept” of making “responsible furniture”. Roche Bobois, 126a rue de Mamer, Bertrange, www.roche-bobois.com

reed & simOn

a global experience

The Reed and Simon store offers a subtle selection of furniture high-lights, from the 1930s to contempo-rary design. You’ll find Italian genius as well as Scandinavian flawlessness, and get that overall feeling of having come to “the right place”. However, stylish furniture is not all you’ll find. “We’ll also help you find the best implementation plan and optimise the use of your interior space. Our team can suggest anything from lighting concepts to acoustic solutions in addition to helping with your interior design project.”Reed & Simon, 7a rue de Bitbourg, Luxembourg-Hamm, www.reedandsimon.com

Abitare’s CEO, Pierre Friob, says his stores “fight global standardisation” through unique and colourful creations and offers “emotional and anti-crises design”. One thing is sure, Abitare--be it the big store (with a total boutique spirit) in Dommel dange or the Kids store in Junglinster--is a par-adise for cool design afficionados and a place you visit again and again and again.Abitare, 1 rue Nennig, Luxembourg-Dommel-dange & Abitare Kids, 7 rue Nic Glesener, Junglinster www.abitare.lu

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Patti Smith

Instant IconFew artists have managed to become a true icon after releasing just one album, but something about the music on 1975’s Horses, the style and attitude of Patti Smith, the cover photo taken by Robert Mappletho-rpe, gave the singer instant appeal. Indeed, the enduring image everyone has of Smith is that of her staring at the camera with her jacket over her shoulder, while the sound of her wailing voice on the poetically mournful 'Birdland' or screaming a cover of Van Morrison’s 'Gloria' still have the power to move. This is a rare opportunity to catch a cultural icon in the flesh.July 3, Rockhal, Esch-Belval, www.rockhal.lu

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changeThe return to work after the summer break will be made all the easier this year by the first in the Philharmonie’s new Aventure+ series of themed eve-nings featuring a symphony concert followed by a more unusual perfor-mance in the foyer. The first melds excerpts from Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde, featuring the OPL and pia-nist Joanna McGregor with a perfor-mance afterwards by table player Kuljit Bhamra.September 21, Philharmonie, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, www.philharmonie.lu

This year’s Omni Festival in the beau-tiful summer’s evening setting of the courtyard of the Abbaye de Neumün-ster is packed with talent from all over the world. The festival has always been eclectic, thus living up to the name its acronym stands for: Objets Musicaux Non Identifiés--unidentified musical objects. This year features artists as diverse as Israeli singer Noa together with Palestinian singer songwriter Mira Awad, the “gypsy queen of Mace-donia” Esma Redzepova, jazz veteran Jan Garbarek and (under the steward-ship of den Atelier) singer-songwriter Norah Jones (already sold out) and

new folk wave act Bon Iver (photo). The festival kicks off, though, with local talent in the shape of an evening titled Youth Gone Wild featuring artists who have been honing their sounds at the studios recently installed in the Maison des jeunes River (Clausen). The artists on show include Discordant System, The Gambling Badgers, Seany Sean, Mikrowave, Calypso’s Call, The Last 9 Minutes, BossMen et Why We Failed.The festival climaxes with perfor-mances as part of the annual Blues’n’ Jazz Rallye.July 11-21, Abbaye de Neumünster, Luxembourg-Grund, www.ccrn.lu

omni FeStival

BeautIful settIng

Seven performances to watch

on stage

lifestyle


Jazz'n BlueS

Valley soundsOne of the highlights of the summer, the annual festival of jazz and blues organised by the Luxembourg City Tourist Office and the Blues Club Lëtzebuerg draws in thousands of spectators. The festival has been going since Luxembourg first reigned as European Capital of Culture in 1995 and features around 60 performances on around 14 open-air stages and in neighbourhood bars and restaurants. July 21, open-air stages, restaurants and bars, Luxembourg-Grund & Clausen, www.bluesjazzrallye.lu

Phil end oF SeaSon

cool closeThe Philharmonie’s End of Season Party traditionally features a legend-ary hip-hop or house artist as its headline act. This year's star turn is influential South Bronx DJ Afrika Bambaataa. Still most famous for ‘Planet Rock’, Bambaataa is hugely respected as the father of electro funk and was among the pioneers of hip-hop culture in New York in the early 80s. He will be joined on the bill by Kenny Dope from legendary house team Masters at Work. Also on the bill are Patrick and Double P from Clubzone and, as an opening act, the winning DJ from a competition organised by L’essentiel. June 29, Philharmonie, Luxembourg-Kirchberg, www.philharmonie.lu

rock um knuedler

free festNow in its 22nd year, the annual Rock um Knuedler has come a long way since it started out as primarily a showcase for local bands. Still a free festival, it now attracts an international headline act as well as interesting bands from around Europe, while still giving Luxembourg artists a chance to perform in front of their home crowd. This year’s headline act is former Supertramp singer Roger Hodgson and Band.July 8, place Guillaume II (Knuedler), Luxembourg-Centre, www.rockumknuedler.lu

den atelier

no sleep for the wIckedWhile the majority of cultural venues take a break during August, den Atelier will be providing a strong line-up for the quietist of months in Luxembourg. So far six concerts are on the programme, with the most interesting acts including US indie outfit Wilco, New York electropop diva Santigold (photo) and UK folk hero Ed Sheerin. Also on the bill are pysch-pop outfit Of Montreal, hip-hop col-lective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All and death metal quintet The Black Dahlia Murder alongside Darkest Hour with support from local bands Miles to Perdition and Scarred.August 1 to 19, den Atelier, Luxembourg-Hollerich, www.atelier.lu

lifestyle

The programming team at the Grand Théâtre continues to forge links with prestigious theatres and production companies outside Luxembourg. Among them are a number of renowned Eng-lish-language companies, such as Cheek By Jowl, which returns following its acclaimed versions of Cymbeline, Mac-beth and Jacobean classic The Changeling. This time Declan Donnellan and designer Nick Ormerod give us John Ford’s complex and ambiguous Jacobean tragedy ‘Tis A Pity She’s A Whore. Other English theatre highlights include Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord's The Second Woman, which is inspired by John Cassavetes’ film Opening Night, an adaptation by the great Peter Brook of South African writer Can Themba’s morality novel The Suit and a stage ver-sion of the influential reggae film The Harder They Come. Heiner Goebbels presents his latest musical production When the mountain changed its clothing.Opera includes English court composer John Blow’s, Venus and Adonis, which was thought to have been an influence on Dido and Aeneas by his one time stu-dent Henry Purcell. The Grand Théâtre’s growing reputa-tion as a venue for innovative and acclaimed contemporary dance has attracted the return of British choreographer Michael Clark, who presents a triple bill of new work, while familiar chore-ographers such as Russell Maliphant and Akram Khan are also on the pro-gramme. DRwww.theatres.lu

Grand Théâtre 2012-13 season

The language of ShakeSpeareEnglish language productions are among the highlights of the city theatre’s new season starting in September.

Akram Khan finally brings Desh to the Grand Théâtre

Cheek By Jowl returns with Jacobean tragedy ‘Tis A Pity She’s A Whore

Peter Brook, one of Britain’s most acclaimed directors, brings his version of The Suit to Luxembourg

Opera highlights include Jules Massenet’s Cendrillon


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32012

Days

day month

➙www.visitluxembourg.lu

Office NatiONal du tOurisme

B.P. 1001 • L-1010 LuxembourgFax 42 82 82-38 • [email protected]

FREEadmissionto more than 50

museums and tourist attractions+ detailed brochure + free public transport

Price

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Pascale Marthine TayouHome Sweet Home, 2011

Production Mudam Luxembourg© Photo: Andrés Lejona

TRAFFO12 / 13THE PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMME OF CARRÉROTONDES

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Ask for the programme:[email protected]

+352 2662 2007

Tickets: 5/10 € +352 47 08 95 1

www.luxembourgticket.lu

CarréRotondes1, rue de l’Aciérie

L-1112 Luxembourg-Hollerich

www.rotondes.lu

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Fête du vélo

Bike fun

The Fête du Vélo takes place on June 17, next to the Gëlle Fra in Luxem-bourg City. The programme promises lots of fun entertainment for chil-dren, including a bike trial show with world champion Thierry Klinkenberg and a skybike demonstration. The whole family can take a safe bike tour, as roads around the square will be closed to cars. The city will also offer family-friendly bike tours all summer.Place de la Constitution, Luxembourg, www.vdl.lu

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trip to France

Artsy cAstle Yes, there are beautiful castles in Luxembourg--which is why when you go visit one in France, it should be special. Malbrouck castle, just next to Schengen, is exactly that: a beautifully renovated castle with a “knighty” history, a witch tower and a lot of stairs to run up and down. Until September 2, the children-friendly French artist Ben exhibits everywhere in the castle and on its grounds, and should not be missed! Château de Malbrouck, Manderen, France, www.chateau-malbrouck.com

Germany isn’t far away and neither is the Eifel Park, a very big and beautiful woodland area (75 hectares) near Bitburg, complete with animals you can feed (and others you can’t), playgrounds, a mini amusement park (with a 900 meter-long summer toboggan and a mini-rollercoaster), a puppet theatre, a petting zoo and a lot of really nice peaceful nature trails. In other words, a no hassle day trip that will keep everyone happy.Eifel Park, Gondorf, Germany, www.eifelpark.de

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trip to Germany

AnimAl plAy-ground

The museum of rural life in Peppange is a lot more fun than it may sound, and has an unexpectedly large collec-tion of wonderful things from the last century, including tools, utensils, fur-niture, plus an array of farming and household equipment. Part of the museum is laid out exactly like a house; the rest is divided into themed spaces, so you get to go past areas like a class-room, a grocery store, a machine shed-

-and even a (slightly scary) dentist! There’s also a garden with a blacksmith, old beehives, chickens, a medicinal garden and a pond--amongst others. It’s a truly nice way to get an idea of what life and work was like “before”, without getting a “museumy” feeling. If you go there on a Sunday, you can even combine the visit with a trip to the carriage museum, just down the road. Musée rural, 38 rue de Crauthem, Peppange, www.musee-peppange.lu

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Four ways to get HAppy kids

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lifestyle

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lifestyle


Four films to watch

on screenThe Angel’s shAre

Whisky galoreKen Loach’s latest film is a char ming comedy set among the world of petty criminals and the unemployed in Scot-land. Paul Branningan stars as Robbie, a new father serving a com munity sen-tence who finds his chance for a new life quite by accident while visiting a

whisky distillery. It is “a likeable and sweet-natured movie”, according to Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian, who even said he preferred it to Loach’s Looking for Eric. Bradshaw likened it to the director’s breakthrough film, Kes, with the pro-tagonist here finding his saving grace in a natural gift for nosing whisky rather than raising a kestrel. It is a totally uncynical film, and has been compared to the great Ealing comedies--such as Whisky Galore--though with cruder jokes. Judging from the trailer, audiences will be hard pressed to find a more enjoyable night out at the cinema this month.Released June 29

TrishnA

Tess in indiaMichael Winterbottom tackles Thomas Hardy for the third time following The Claim (The Mayor of Casterbridge set in the California gold rush) and Jude. Here he trans-poses Tess of the D’Urbevilles to contemporary India, with Slumdog Millionaire star Frida Pinto winning acclaim for her turn as Trishna (Tess) opposite Riz Ahemd as Jay (an amal-gamation of the Angel Clare and Alec d’Urberville characters). Jay, the son of the owner of the luxury hotel in which Trishna works as a maid, takes her to Mumbai, where her life changes for ever. Released June 15

MArley

leT The music playAward winning director Kevin Macdo-nald returns to documentary mode, with which he made his name with the excel-lent Touching The Void. Here he re-examines the life and influence of the great reggae star Bob Marley, including interviews with the musician’s family, friends and colleagues as well as plenty of previously unseen footage.Released June 15

The rAven

poe faced

The ever watchable John Cusack stars as Edgar Allen Poe in this serial killer mystery. The killer in question is using Poe’s work as inspiration, and the writer is called upon by a detective, played by Luke Evans, to help the police stop the atrocities. Director James McTeigue lends the film the same panache he gave V for Vendetta.Released June 22

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From 27 sept. to 10 OCT. 2012

In partnership with

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Scuba diving

Groups in LuxembourG

The very first scuba diving club in Luxembourg was officially formed in 1963. Sub Aqua Club Luxembourg (www.sacl.lu) still exists and holds training sessions at the piscine de Bonnevoie and at the piscine Olympique in Kirchberg. It also visits the artificial Upper Sûre lake for training and practice.Jerome Konen’s excellent www.scuba.lu site offers advice for local divers in English, with detailed explanations about diving in Luxembourg. He also undertakes and reports on more exotic expedi-tions to locations all over the world.

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Natalie Gerhardstein

There is a sculpture garden situated on the ocean floor off the west coast of Granada, West Indies. In 2006, British artist Jason deCaires Taylor began sub-merging his creations in the depths of Molinere Bay: 15 tons of cement life-sized replicas of the people living above.The Phlegraean Fields of Italy, which lie mostly underwater, are replete with craters, volcanic edifices, and a wealth of structural ruins. The Underwater Archaeological Park of Baiae features seven sites where Roman villas, pillars, a port and thermal baths can be seen. These are the things Natalie Gerhard-stein thinks about when she’s not busy with her work as communications direc-tor of Amcham. A dual national Ameri-can and German by birth, she completed her undergraduate and graduate work at Ohio State University, attended the Sor-bonne for a period, and later moved to Luxembourg to be in a more interna-tional location. While doing course work in Bolivia and Peru, she fell in love with diving. “I was studying emerging markets--working with small groups of local weavers and other artisans--with a group of students,” she recalls. “A few stu-dents always talked about diving. The way they described it, it seemed like a whole other world below the water. I already loved to swim and snorkel, so I immediately regis-tered for diving classes upon my return.” Five certified dives were required for her license after her coursework and train-

ing with Bill Margiotta of Underwater Connection in her then home town of Columbus, Ohio. So, she went to Cabo de Gata Natural Park off the coast of Almería, Spain. Natalie’s passion for diving has since taken her to numerous exotic locations. So far, her favourite has been the Red Sea, off the coast of Hurghada, Egypt, where the famous wrecks of the Salem Express and the Abu Nuhas graveyard lie. “The underwater life is phenomenal and it has wonderful visibility.”For Natalie, diving offers a new dimen-sion for those who like to travel. “It’s a neat dynamic to see both parts of the area you’re visiting--above land and under water,” she says, citing a cave formation in Italy. “I love cave dives but they can be very dangerous. It’s not always easy to judge your distance from the top of a cave, and it can feel claustrophobic. It’s not natu-ral, of course, to artificially inflate your lungs under water. Once you’re down there, though, and have your buoyancy correct, you glide through the water effortlessly, you forget about the breathing. There’s this dreamlike state, and it’s incredibly tran-quil. I sleep the best after I do a dive.”To do the kind of dives that appeal to her most, Natalie needs another level of certification. That may be her next challenge. Off the southern Laconian coast of Greece is Pavlopetri, an ancient Mycenaean ruin of the world’s oldest submerged town.

Scuba diving

A Whole other WorldNatalie Gerhardstein, communications director at Amcham, talks about her life under water.Text: Tonya Stoneman


my other life: Natalie GerhardsteiN

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