Luxembourg's many languages as the key to greater social cohesion

Anyone who sometimes attends public events has probably seen them in the background, or even heard them without knowing who they are: The interpreters of Asti's "Traduction orale directe" (TOD). Using a microphone, the service's 36 volunteers translate speeches, debates and discussions during events that are important for social cohesion directly into the audience's headphones in real time. In 2023 alone, the volunteer service received 630 requests for direct translations during events such as citizens' or school assemblies, information sessions organised by non-profit associations or election events. The demand for non-professional translators is exploding.

One of them is Semir Nesić, who has been translating between Luxembourgish, French, English and his native Bosnian for ten years. Like all the other volunteers in the service, he is not a professional translator, but a language lover with a social streak. He has noticed a change: "Municipalities in particular are realising more and more that they can't make policies that are accepted if they don't speak to everyone. Even those who don't understand Luxembourgish. In Luxembourg, you can't in good conscience organise a large citizens' assembly, but at the same time say 'Everyone who doesn't speak Luxembourgish was out of luck' After every event, people thank us. They immediately feel more welcome and more involved."