This text is an AI-generated translation of the original.
The first CSV Summer Academy was a resounding success!
In an open and constructive atmosphere, members and other participants, together with MPs and focus groups, exchanged experiences, opinions and ideas on a range of topics, providing new impetus for our political work.
Discover the highlights of the Summer Academy in our photo gallery:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/204900353@N02/albums/72177720335462080/
The following topics were at the heart of the Summer Academy:
Political education with Ricardo Marques
How do we prepare young people well for their role in a democracy? This question played an important part at the Summer Academy. After ten years of Visocours in schools, it is time to look at what has worked well and where improvements are still possible. Political education should not only convey knowledge, but also foster the desire to get involved, have a say and take responsibility.
The right to vote from the age of 16 was also discussed. An optional right to vote could introduce young people to politics earlier and strengthen their participation. At the same time, the question arises as to how well they are prepared for such a decision and what is needed for that in schools.
Closer cooperation between the Centre for Political Education, civic instruction, the Youth Parliament and schools could achieve a great deal here. If different actors pull together, democracy can be taught in a more concrete, more understandable way and closer to young people’s everyday lives.
AI in the service of the country with Françoise Kemp and Paul Galles
Artificial intelligence has long since become part of everyday life. It is changing how we work, learn, communicate and use services. So the question is no longer whether AI plays a role, but how we want to shape it.
The opportunities are great. AI can make companies more efficient, ease the burden on employees and also improve public services. But not everything that is technically possible is also desirable. Decisions that directly affect people require transparency, accountability and clear boundaries.
Children, employees and vulnerable people in particular must be protected in this process. Progress must not come at the expense of freedom, privacy or fairness. Luxembourg therefore needs clear rules, investment in technology and strong European cooperation. AI should serve people, not the other way around.
Drinking water quality in Luxembourg with Jeff Boonen
Clean drinking water cannot be taken for granted. To protect it in the future as well, Luxembourg must look simultaneously at the environment and at the realities of agriculture.
The use of plant protection products should be further reduced. For farms, however, this must remain practically feasible and economically viable. Environmental protection and agriculture must not be played off against each other.
In addition, PFAS and TFA pose new challenges. Here, we need solutions that protect water and nature without making production unnecessarily difficult or forcing businesses to relocate abroad.
The same applies to water protection zones. Clear rules and effective protection are important, but they must be developed together with the people who work in the field every day. Only in this way will we find solutions that make ecological sense and also work in practice.
A resilient Luxembourg with Stéphanie Weydert
How well are we prepared for the next crisis? The last few years have shown that Luxembourg has not been spared. Floods, heatwaves, tornadoes and other crises have made it clear how quickly everyday life can be thrown off balance.
That is why it is important to know whether our national and local crisis and resilience plans really work. This applies in particular to the infrastructures we rely on every day: energy, communications, transport or water.
Drinking water is one of the most sensitive areas. Even during prolonged drought, climate change or another crisis, supply must be guaranteed. That requires not only good infrastructure, but also forward-looking planning and a clear emergency strategy.
In the end, resilience does not mean preventing every crisis. It means being so well prepared that the country can respond quickly and remain operational even in difficult times.
Youth unemployment with Charel Weiler
The transition from school to working life is not easy for many young people. That is why youth unemployment is not only about creating more jobs. It is also about preparing young people better for what awaits them in the labour market.
The education system plays a central role in this. Are young people today learning the skills they will need tomorrow? Alongside specialist knowledge, digital skills, flexibility and a willingness to keep learning new things are becoming increasingly important.
Artificial intelligence will accelerate this development even further. Some professions will change, and others will newly emerge. For young people, this can be an opportunity—but only if they are well prepared for this transformation.
The task is therefore clear: education and the labour market must work more closely together in order to give young people a realistic perspective and a good start to their working lives.
Conflicts in the Middle East: Luxembourg’s position and responsibility with Laurent Zeimet
The conflicts in the Middle East also concern people in Luxembourg. Israel’s security, the prospect of a two-state solution, the situation of the Palestinian population and developments in Iran raise difficult political and human questions.
Luxembourg too must position itself on these issues. As a member of the European Union and international organisations, the country cannot act in isolation. It must coordinate its stance with its partners and take its international responsibility seriously.
Sanctions can be one instrument in this context. But they only make sense if they are targeted, proportionate and effective. So it is not only a question of whether Luxembourg supports sanctions, but also of what they can actually achieve.
Equally important is the debate here at home. On a topic that triggers strong emotions, we need a fact-based discussion that can tolerate differences and does not portray everything in black and white. Facts, respect and a willingness to hear other perspectives are crucial.