News

European Commissioner inaugurates EDIC University of Luxembourg

  • Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH)
    Université / Administration centrale et Rectorat
    20 janvier 2020
  • Catégorie
    Recherche, Relations avec le public, Université
  • Thème
    Sciences humaines

On 20 January 2020, the Europe Direct Information Centre (EDIC) University of Luxembourg was inaugurated by Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights.

The EDIC University of Luxembourg office is located at the heart of the Greater Region (Luxembourg and neighbouring regions in France, Belgium and Germany). It is ideally situated on Belval campus to interact with students, researchers, teachers and the general public on issues related to the European Union’s history and current affairs. It will also help reflect on potential future challenges. Dr Elena Danescu, coordinator of the EDIC office, said: “We are here at the crossroad of the Greater Region, and this EDIC office is open to all visitors. As a University, we are focused on research, but it is also our role to be open towards and interact with residents of our region and visitors.“

The EDIC office will organise lectures, seminars, discussions and exhibitions and offer information on the history of European integration, the EU institutions and the workings and policies of Europe. The EDIC University of Luxembourg will contribute to citizen education, especially among young people, raising awareness about the European Union’s policies and helping develop teaching and research on European integration in Luxembourg.

The EDIC office is located in the Luxembourg Learning Centre, the University library. Prof. Stéphane Pallage, Rector of the University of Luxembourg said: “Europe faces numerous challenges, as leaders today converge or diverge on their vision for the future and even on values such as freedom of expression. While it has come far, Europe has yet to build consensus of values, European values.”

Commenting on EDIC University of Luxembourg’s important role, European Commissioner Nicolas Schmit said: “Creating this EDIC means bringing Europe closer to its citzens. Our mission as political representatives is to bring Europe closer to each and everyone. Because Europe belongs to its citzens and it is part of our daily life.”

The Europe Direct network was set up in 2005 to make the workings of the European Commission more transparent and to make the European Union more accessible to citizens. The EDIC University of Luxembourg is one of more than 500 EDIC contact points across Europe.

© University of Luxembourg

From left to right: Marie-Pierre Pausch, Stéphane Pallage, Yuriko Backes, Nicolas Schmit, Elena Danescu, Andreas Fickers, Marc Angel, Christoph Schroeder.