Eric Thill spoke out about Luxembourg's cultural heritage

Eric Thill is Luxembourg's Minister of Culture, but in interviews he does not only speak as an official, but above all as someone who truly appreciates his country's cultural heritage. His favourite place is the Slate Museum, located in the north of Luxembourg, surrounded by forests and cycling trails. According to Thiel, it is not just a monument to the industrial past, but an important symbol of how hard work and collective endeavour shaped society. That's why he initiated the preparation of a dossier for an application to UNESCO - to make this unique site a world heritage site.

Speaking about cultural policy in general, Thill admits: according to ILRES research, a third of residents do not feel sufficiently informed about cultural events, and a quarter are not interested in them at all. His goal is to remove barriers. Not only geographical barriers (the lack of infrastructure is particularly acute in the northern and eastern parts of the country), but also social, linguistic and psychological ones. In multilingual and multicultural Luxembourg, he finds it unacceptable that most cultural programmes are conducted exclusively in Luxembourgish.

In his opinion, culture is not only museums and a philharmonic hall in the capital, but also village theatres, brass bands, folk festivals and regional museums. The state should ensure access to all of these, without limiting itself to "high culture". At the same time, Thill emphasises: the state should not interfere in the programme policy of institutions, even within the framework of a national inclusion plan. Support - yes, directives - no. The freedom of cultural venues must remain inviolable.

When talking about inclusion, Thill specifies that it's not just about architectural accessibility. People with disabilities need to feel like a natural part of the audience, not a separate group that has been 'specially organised'. This requires awareness-raising, staff training and a change of approach - but, again, it has to come from within cultural organisations, not imposed from above.

The conversation also touched upon the Charter of Deontology, which has been in force since 2022. The minister emphasises that if a person working in culture and financed from the state budget breaks the law, especially when it comes to fraud, the state is obliged to react. Specific decisions will depend on the situation, but culture, according to him, cannot be out of the zone of responsibility.

Thill also shared his personal view of the cultural sector. Since becoming Minister, he has been impressed by the richness and diversity of Luxembourg's cultural life - from archaeology to photography, from tradition to contemporary dance. He is particularly pleased by the enthusiasm of those who "live culture" every day. He insists that the state must not only preserve jobs, but also give young people a realistic prospect of living off their creative work, despite the high cost of housing in the country.

Eric Thill does not build his career on slogans. His approach is balanced, without ostentatious populism, but with a clear commitment to freedom, inclusion and cultural pluralism. In a country where identity is formed at the crossroads of languages and traditions, this is not just a political stance - it is a way of keeping public dialogue alive.