Minett UNESCO Biosphere celebrates its 5th anniversary

Last Tuesday, the Minett UNESCO Biosphere celebrated its 5th anniversary. The setting for the ceremony, held exactly five years to the day after the region’s inclusion in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves, was the former “Saint Barbara” church in the mining village of Lasauvage, highlighting the importance of heritage for Luxembourg’s only entry in the “Man and the Biosphere” program.

During the official part of the festivities, guest speaker Dr. Gerhard Mörsch looked back on the early years of the Minett Biosphere. He praised the region’s dynamism, which for five years has been actively working to become a model region for respectful coexistence between humans and nature, in line with UNESCO’s guidelines for the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The director of the Bliesgau UNESCO Biosphere also emphasized that the future development of a biosphere, after the initial euphoria of its inclusion in the global network, requires not only growing involvement from the local population but also broad political support at the municipal, regional, and national levels.

© Photos: Jessica Theis

At the beginning of the evening, Christian Weis, president of the PRO-SUD syndicate, which manages the Minett UNESCO Biosphere, expressed his satisfaction that the regional commitment of the eleven municipalities in southern Luxembourg has borne fruit over the past five years. He mentioned the establishment of the MiNELL (Minett Natur an Ëmwelt Léier Lab) environmental education program and the completion of the regional bioclimatic study, which will allow the biosphere’s municipalities to base their future urban developments on solid scientific data regarding expected climate change.

In her speech, Catherine Decker, Secretary-General of the Luxembourg Commission for UNESCO, highlighted the commitment of the biosphere reserve’s staff. Thanks to their dedication to the “Man and the Biosphere” program and the projects launched in the first five years, Luxembourg has become firmly anchored in this UNESCO scientific program, thereby contributing to the global community’s transition towards a society that evolves in harmony with our planet and its resources.

Finally, the Minister for Housing and Spatial Planning, Claude Meisch, emphasized the numerous opportunities offered by the conversion of former industrial brownfield sites and the enhancement of underutilized spaces. As an example, the NeiSchmelz project in Dudelange will transform a former steelworks into a carbon-neutral eco-district. Similarly, the Metzeschmelz site, located between Esch-sur-Alzette and Schifflange, is set to become a mixed, sustainable, and biodiversity-friendly neighborhood. These projects illustrate the commitment to creating living and housing spaces in harmony with nature for the well-being of all. Thanks to the anchoring of the Minett UNESCO Biosphere in the current Master Programme for Spatial Planning (PDAT) and the close collaboration between the PRO-SUD syndicate and the Department of Spatial Planning, the biosphere reserve will continue to play an important role in transforming the Southern region into a model region for Luxembourg, the minister stated with conviction.

The evening concluded at the “Le Presbytère” restaurant, where guests could exchange views and reflect on initial ideas for the next five years of Luxembourg’s only biosphere reserve.