The Sir Winston Churchill Memorial Lectures
BLS host a series of eminent speakers from the British political, economic or cultural world
Welcome to the British-Luxembourg Society
The British-Luxembourg Society was founded on 24 April 1947.
It is a non-profit association which strives to deepen, maintain and develop the bonds of friendship that exist between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Great Britain.
D'British-Luxembourg Society ass den 24 Abrëll 1947 gegrënnt ginn.
Et ass eng Non-profit Associatioun, déi déi frëndschaftlech Bezéiungen tëscht dem Grand-Duché an Groussbritannien verdéiwen, ënnerhalen and developpéiere wëll.
About us
The British-Luxembourg-Society ASBL was founded in 1947 to foster good relations between Britain and Luxembourg. Among its activities since then has been hosting an annual Sir Winston Churchill Memorial Lecture with speakers including Margaret Thatcher (when in office), Neil Kinnock, Chris Patton, George Robertson, and Lord Hurd.
Following Brexit we feel it crucial to reinforce the strong bonds of friendship which have existed between Britain and Luxembourg. In this we have received the active support of the British Embassy and we are very grateful to the Ambassador HE John Marshall for this. We have updated the Statutes of the Society which had remained unaltered since 1947 and now plan to expand our range of activities and to recruit new members.
The Society continues its education programme, teaching English Language and Literature, and hopes to develop a series of social and cultural events to appeal to both British and Luxembourg members as well as nationals from other countries who have an interest in British culture.
We are particularly keen to promote the work of British cultural societies in Luxembourg and to foster relations with our sister society in London, “The Luxembourg Society”, founded in 1942.
Our History
Our History
On the 24th of April 1947 – more than 70 years ago – Twenty-three Luxembourgers, among them the future Luxembourgish Prime Minister and ‘father of the euro’ Pierre Werner (1913-2002) and one Brit founded the British-Luxembourg Society.
Motivated by their admiration and gratitude to the United Kingdom and its people, whose fight against the Nazi regime helped Luxembourgers recover their liberty and national independence, they wanted to bring the United Kingdom, its people and culture, closer to the Luxembourgers, who at that time had little knowledge about the British people. Accordingly, the British-Luxembourg Society states its aims in the first article of its Statutes in the following way: “Elle a pour but d’approfondir et de resserrer les liens d’amitié qui existent si heureusement entre la Grande-Bretagne et le Grand-Duché de Luxembourg d’autre part, à l’exclusion de toutes tendances et considérations politiques et confessionnelles.” Right from the beginning, its purpose mirrored that of the Luxembourg Society in London, its sister association, founded five years earlier, in 1942.
Churchill Lectures
The British-Luxembourg Society
Sir Winston Churchill Memorial Lectures
Over the years we have had the privilege to host this annual event and invite a series of eminent speakers from the British political, economic or cultural world.
Past speakers have included: The Rt. Hon. Baroness Thatcher, former British Prime Minister; The Rt. Hon. Lord Kinnock, former Vice-President of the European Commission; The Rt. Hon. Lord George, former Governor of the Bank of England; The Rt. Hon. Lord Hurd of Westwell, former British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; and The Rt. Hon. Lord Patten of Barnes, former European Commissioner for External Relations, last Governor of Hong Kong and Chancellor of Oxford University.
The speakers gave a lecture on their topic of choice, generally but not always a European theme.
20th November 2023 – with Baroness Hale.
Baroness Hale is an inspiration and many cite her as a legend after publishing her book Spider-Woman
As ‘a little girl from a little school in a little village in North Yorkshire', she only went into the law because her headteacher told her she wasn't clever enough to study history.
She became the most senior judge in the Country.
(Photo Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Courses
The British-Luxembourg Society helps to support members personal development through our educational evening classes.
These courses help members to acquire skills, not only in English Language but also in English Literature, Luxembourgish Conversation and Art.
Currently there are nine courses:
Upper Intermediate English Language: Conversation - Tuesdays (taught by Jeanne Davey)
Intermediate English Language: Conversation - Tuesdays (taught by Rosella Tallarico)
Intermediate English Language: Grammar and English Practice - Wednesdays (taught by Rosella Tallarico)
English Literature for Advanced Students (taught by Chris Atkinson on Tuesdays)
Conversational Luxembourgish (BEGINNERS) (taught by Sandra Bossi on Mondays)
Conversational Luxembourgish (LOWER INTERMEDIATE) (taught by Christelle Schiltz on Fridays)
Conversational Luxembourgish (UPPER INTERMEDIATE) (taught by Christelle Schiltz on Fridays)
Art: Practical Drawing and Watercolour Course (BEGINNERS) (taught by Elsa Charalampous on Tuesdays)
Art: Practical Drawing and Watercolour Course (INTERMEDIATE) (taught by Elsa Charalampous on Wednesdays)
Photo Gallery (click the photo)
