During the official welcome, Paul Galles, alderman for education and youth, paid tribute to the school's lasting legacy. For decades, the "Lehrernormalschule" – an iconic teacher training institution in Luxembourg – prepared primary school teachers for their work in the classroom.

To mark the occasion, two winners of the "My Urban Piano 2025" competition, Katharina Fischer and Luna Hoogakker, showcased their talent. Katharina Fischer performed <em>Piano Sonata in F Major, Hob. XVI:23 I. Allegro</em> by Joseph Haydn and <em>Tarentelle op.77 n.6</em> by Moritz Moszkowski, while Luna Hoogakker performed <em>Prelud no.1 in C Major by Johann Sebastian Bach and <em>Comptine d'un autre été</em> by Yann Tiersen.

17 pianos across the city 

On Wednesday, 13 May, the City of Luxembourg and the Grand-Ducal Police launched a joint campaign to raise public awareness of the need to be vigilant, owing to a sharp rise in pickpocketing in the city – particularly at tram stops and on board carriages.

The campaign includes both visual and auditory elements: Four different visuals will be on display at tram platforms across the city. In parallel, audio messages recorded by city staff are played regularly on the tram. This campaign aims to make public transport users aware of the threat of pickpocketing and to encourage them to keep a close eye on their personal belongings at all times.

The problem is no longer limited to periods of high-profile events in Luxembourg City, such as the Christmas markets or the Schueberfouer. It has become an ever-present threat, which requires constant vigilance on the part of public transport users.

Preventive measures

Other attractions include the "Look 360 Panorama" tour, performances by an acrobat, and a miniature train.

Since 1987, the City has been offering residents a conventional <em>Téléalarme</em> personal alert system, an emergency response service that is available 24/7: if you are in need of urgent medical assistance, simply press the red button and a distress call will be made. In 2013, the City extended its offering to include a mobile personal alert device that can be geolocated and used outside the home, along with a range of additional accessories, such as fall, smoke, gas, heat and water-leak detectors.

A comfortable, discreet and easy-to-use solution

The fair will include a number of attractions for children, including one hook-a-duck stand, the "Dumbo Fly" ride, bumper cars and three catering establishments serving classic fairground treats.

How to get there

The <em>Märeler Kiermes</em> can be reached by bus, bike or car:

• Bus: AVL bus lines: 5, 6, 20: "Orval" stop; AVL bus lines 10, 12, 20, 24: "Marcel Cahen" stop
• vel'OH!: "Place Thorn" station
• Parking on streets in the vicinity of the fair

In the next few weeks, the larvae of the oak processionary moth (OPM, known in German as "Eichenprozessionsspinner") will be developing into caterpillars. At this stage of their metamorphosis from larva to adult moth, this species is particularly hazardous to human and animal health.

Living exclusively on oak trees, the oak processionary can appear in parks and forests. The City therefore recommends that walkers and visitors to its forests, parks and playgrounds should be vigilant, to prevent any danger to health.

The oak processionary moth can cause serious damage to trees by completely stripping them of their leaves, and the dangers they pose to human and animal health and hygiene cannot be underestimated. The caterpillars are covered with thousands of hollow bristles with barbs that can break off and become airborne, travelling long distances, especially in hot, dry weather. These barbs can penetrate human and animal skin, causing inflammation and/or itching.

As a precautionary measure, the City will be posting warning signs. Please stay away from the affected trees and do not touch the caterpillar nests, the caterpillars themselves, their moulted skins or any infested trees. The <em>Service Forêts</em> (Forestry Department) and <em>Service Parcs</em> (Parks Department) will be removing the caterpillar nests from the trees shortly.

Attractions and activities running throughout the afternoon include:

• A food village (14:00–20:00), with grilled food, desserts, and inventive drinks
• Activities for children (14:00–20:00)
• Live music (16:00–19:00) by the duo, Lisa Mariotto & Rol Girres

The more athletic can try their hand at football darts, or take up the "Hau den Lukas" (high striker) challenge.

The latest issue of the periodical "ons stad" is now out in print

In this issue of "ons stad", we take readers on a journey back to a time when Luxembourg City was a bastion of national industry. A number of industrialists had settled along the banks of the Alzette river – the main driving force of local manufacturing – and had opened factories manufacturing products that had come to be known far beyond the country's borders. For instance, the gloves manufactured by "Handschuhfabrik Reinhard" were exported to destinations as far away as the United States. The suburban districts then became a breeding ground for the development of a variety of artisanal and industrial activities, such as the manufacturing of hats, brushes, tobacco products, shoes, furniture and much more. In this issue, we invite readers to discover the broad range of activities that emerged alongside the steel industry.

In addition to photographs produced specially for "ons stad" by several contemporary photographers, this issue features a selection of historical documents and photographs from the collections housed at the Luxembourg City Photothèque and the Luxembourg City Archives, accompanied by our authors' insightful contributions.

• Monday, 18 May 2026 at 14:30.

17 May 2026: Creative Sunday – Inclusive Music Making Workshop by Fondation EME

Following a round of presentations designed to provide those in attendance with a better mutual understanding of the local political systems in China and Luxembourg, the discussions addressed a number of themes relating to the City of Luxembourg, and most notably its social policy, the challenges it faces in terms of housing, urban mobility, and municipal finances.

The head of the delegation, Mr Yuan Mindao, Vice-President of the CPAFFC, then proceeded to sign the City's official guestbook. This was followed by speeches by Maurice Bauer, Deputy Mayor of the City of Luxembourg; Mr Yuan Mindao, Vice-President of the CPAFFC; Emile Eicher, President of the Syndicate of Luxembourg Cities and Municipalities (<em>Syndicat des Villes et Communes luxembourgeoises</em> – SYVICOL); and His Excellency Mr Hua Ning, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China.

The Chinese delegation had been invited to Luxembourg by SYVICOL as part of a shared desire to reinforce and develop relations between China and Luxembourg at the municipal level. On the eve of the event at the City Hall, the Chinese delegation visited Schengen to attend the Europe Day festivities. They also visited the Luxembourg Wine Institute (<em>Institut vitivinicole</em> – IVV) in Remich. Last year, at the CPAFFC's invitation, a delegation of SYVICOL committee members and the mayors of three Luxembourg municipalities visited the People's Republic of China.

In addition to temporary and permanent exhibitions, visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities: creative workshops for children, themed guided tours, lectures, art events and other events specially designed for families.

Click on the links below to view or download the programmes.

This commitment highlights the City's determination to continue and redouble its efforts to promote social cohesion among local residents and workers. With a notably multicultural population (over 70% of residents are of non-Luxembourg nationality), the City has long pursued an integration policy through the implementation of concrete initiatives designed to encourage intercultural dialogue and exchange, and citizens' active participation in social, economic and political life. 

In close collaboration with the Municipal Advisory Committee on Intercultural Living Together, associations involved in the intercultural sector, and other City of Luxembourg municipal departments, the <em>Service Intégration et besoins spécifiques</em> (Integration and Special Needs Department) strives to identify needs relating to cultural diversity, and to develop tailored action plans in response. Flagship initiatives aimed at promoting intercultural living together include "Rencontres sans frontières", the organisation of Luxembourgish language and culture courses, welcome events, the annual gathering "MusiqCITE – cross-cultural, musical and interpersonal exchanges", and participation in the Festival of Migration, Culture and Citizenship.

The City is delighted with the new prospects offered by the Municipal Pact for Intercultural Living Together, which will enable us to strengthen our actions in favour of an open city that celebrates multiculturalism and continues to attract expatriates and students from all over the world.