“Through its first participation in the Rendez-vous aux jardins (Garden festival) from June 4 to 6 2021, the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture recognises that a visit to a park or garden should valued as much as an outing to a monument or a museum. Against the backdrop of climate change, a garden has become more than just a cultural site or a meeting place as it is made up of living plants and irrigated by gushing springs, in contrast to stones. Symbolising memory and cultural expression as well as a place to meet or meditate, gardens are also a source of life. Nurturing a garden is akin to nurturing oneself. By exploring gardens this way together with other Council of Europe member countries, we share our desire to preserve, protect, conserve and develop gardens on a global scale.”
Minister of Culture
For the first time ever, Luxembourg is taking part in the Rendez-vous aux jardins initiative, launched in 2018 by European cultural heritage information umbrella organisation HEREIN, which unites public administrations in charge of national cultural heritage policies and strategies. By 2019, some 2,706 gardens in twenty European countries had opened their doors to the public.
Luxembourg’s Ministry of Culture now invites any public or private stakeholder to take part in this initiative by opening its parks or gardens to the public for one of the days or for June 4-6 to raise awareness among visitors of garden protection, conservation, maintenance, restoration and design as well as the transmission of knowledge and skills.
The Ministry of Culture is promoting the Luxembourg-wide event as well as a select number of national and international projects.
Launched in 2018, this collective event encourages the organisation of fun and educational gatherings aimed at garden owners and professional and amateur gardeners of all ages through a wide variety of activities.
The purpose of this year’s Rendez-vous aux jardins is to raise awareness among the general public of the illustrious and diverse heritage of traditional and contemporary parks and gardens, both publicly and privately owned. Aimed at “transmitting knowledge”, the initiative is a forum for dialogue on issues such as nature, culture, heritage, creativity, the arts and science (biodiversity, sustainable development, phyto-genetic resources, etc.). This collective event encourages the organisation of fun and educational gatherings aimed at garden owners and professional and amateur gardeners of all ages through a wide variety of activities.
“Knowledge transmission” encompasses:
The Rendez-vous aux jardins agenda is centred around six different themes and should be used as a guide by project initiators.
Any project (fruit picking, cookery classes, painting workshops, readings, conferences, rallies, workshops, guided tours, walks, exhibitions, drawing competitions, live performances, park or garden development projects, tourist attractions, gourmet produce, research studies, publications, digital apps, open data projects, etc.) that demonstrates lasting commitment to sustainability may be officially included on the Rendez-vous aux jardins agenda.
Project proposals submitted must aim to “transmit knowledge” and be linked to a traditional or contemporary park or garden that is either publicly or privately owned.
Each project proposal submitted must also fall under at least one of the following headings: