July 15
From the little time we had with Luxembourg, at least in terms of instruction and study material, I see that the country is very much defined by its status as an international city. Much of this is due to the need to rely on the outside world (due of course to the relatively small land mass that comprises the country). With this, comes the desire for much sought after European Union, of which Luxembourg pushes for heavily; in fact, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is widely considered as “one of the three capitals of Europe” according to the reader.
Because of this reliance on neighboring countries and the world at large, Luxembourg is strongly influenced by outside forces. As quoted from the reader, “thanks to the American aid received… significant progress was achieved in terms of modernization and infrastructure.” This came as a result of both Nazi invasion and Allied liberation. Furthermore, “Luxembourg abandoned its status of neutrality and ensured its place within the international community.” This seemed to be a sort of coming out party for Luxembourg, realizing that out of necessity the country cannot continue to exist independent of the rest of the Western world.
Thu, observing this all from our present time, Luxembourg takes on a profoundly cosmopolitan character. For instance, the multilingualism that exists takes on considerable influence from the proximity and relations with nearby Western European powerhouses Germany and France. Additionally, Luxembourg constitutes the highest proportion of foreigners, of who make up 42% of the population.
Interestingly enough, in the midst of all these outside influences Luxembourgers take a lot of pride in their own national language and identity. There are very few places in the world of such mutually beneficial coexistence between so many different countries of origin. It is a model of how multiculturalism can function in Europe and for the future of the European Union.
No comments:
Post a Comment