The annual Conference on Greece, now a proud tradition at the Athénée de Luxembourg, once again provided a meaningful platform for reflection and exchange on one of today’s most pressing social issues: child and adolescent poverty.
Held at the Athénée de Luxembourg on 30 October 2025, the conference brought together teachers from across the country and featured a panel of distinguished speakers: Dr Claude Heiser, Director of the Athénée de Luxembourg; Mr Axel Redonnet from STATEC; Mr Charles Schmit, Ombudsman for Children and Youth; Dr Nikolas E. Farantouris, Member of the European Parliament (via video message); and Mr Alexandros Trapesanlidis from the Greek NGO Kapnikos Stathmos, a long-standing partner of our school NGO Athénée – Action humanitaire.
The speakers offered valuable perspectives on the phenomenon of poverty, from statistical analysis and policy implementation to European initiatives and fieldwork experience. One key takeaway was that, although Luxembourg is among the richest countries in Europe, it still faces real and growing challenges concerning child and youth poverty — a reminder that social justice and inclusion require ongoing attention at every level.
Particularly noteworthy was the active participation of the seventeen students from the “Greece Option,” (OEDHE) who showed courage and intellectual curiosity by posing thoughtful questions during the closing discussion. Their engagement reflected the spirit of critical thinking, empathy, and social awareness that the conference aims to promote.
The Athénée de Luxembourg warmly thanks all participants and guest speakers for their invaluable contributions and looks forward to continuing this inspiring tradition in the years to come — with the hope that the Ombudsman for Children and Youth might become a future asset of our “Conferences on Greece.”