Webinar: Luxembourg Diplomacy at Work

Memories of Ambassadors Hubert Wurth discusses European political cooperation and other developments

After the Second World War, Luxembourg became a leading player in international relations. As a founding member of most of the major international institutions – including the United Nations (1945), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (1949), the Council of Europe (1949), the European Communities (starting with the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951) and then the European Union (1993) –, Luxembourg assumed a key role in European integration and multilateralism. Its constant aim has always been to maintain and strengthen the framework of international law as a basis for democracy, human rights and the values of freedom, peace and security worldwide. Luxembourg’s diplomatic apparatus serves the people of Luxembourg, the country’s institutions, the private sector and civil society by supporting and defending Luxembourg’s political, economic, business, cultural and consular interests abroad.

Looking back over several decades of international relations and offering a personal perspective on historical events with a particular emphasis on the role played by Luxembourg,

The Europe Direct Information Centre at the University of Luxembourg (EDIC) and its partners – the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH), the Luxembourg Cercle Diplomatique and the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs – are pleased to invite you to the webinar “Luxembourg Diplomacy at Work: Memories of Ambassadors – Hubert Wurth discusses European political cooperation and other developments” on 22 April 2021 at 2pm.

Programme

14:00 – Introductory remarks – Elena Danescu, coordinator of EDIC University of Luxembourg
14:10 – « Luxembourg diplomacy at work: European political cooperation and other developments» – Presentation – Hubert Wurth, Ambassador of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
15:00 – “Memories of Ambassadors” – oral history research project conducted jointly by the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH) and the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. Presentation – François Klein, research specialist at the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History
15:10 – Debate with the audience/Question and answer session
15:30 – Closing address – Manuel Gomes Samuel, Consul General of Portugal to Luxembourg, Co-President of the Cercle Diplomatique.

Presentations of the speakers

In alphabetical order.

Manuel Gomes Samuel

Manuel Gomes Samuel holds a Master’s in International Economics from the University of Lisbon. In 1992, he became Secretary of the Permanent Representation of Portugal to the European Union in Brussels. He was then appointed as Consul to Durban in South Africa and adviser to the Portuguese Embassy in Bulgaria. In 1999, he became Deputy Director, then Director, of the European Affairs Division in the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2002, Manuel Gomes Samuel became assistant to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, then Political Adviser for Operation Concordia (an EU peacekeeping operation in FYROM). In 2004, he was appointed as Consul General to Johannesburg in South Africa, then in 2008 he became Consul General for Southern Germany at the Consulate General of Portugal in Stuttgart, Germany. In 2012, Manuel Gomes Samuel became acting Ambassador to Oslo, Norway, before becoming acting Ambassador to Panama the following year. In 2016, he was appointed as an auditor at the National Defence Institute of Portugal. Since 2017, he has been Consul General of Portugal to Luxembourg.

François Klein

François Klein holds a Master in Contemporary History from the University of Strasbourg and began his professional career teaching history in secondary school in Luxembourg. After an experience in the archives of the Musée d’Histoire de la Ville de Luxembourg (MHVL), he became in 2005 a scientific collaborator in the European Integration Studies Department at the Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l’Europe (CVCE), where he worked on the Oral History Project. Following the integration of the CVCE into the University of Luxembourg in July 2016, he is now part of the C²DH, focusing on oral history, public history and outreach activities.

Hubert Wurth

Hubert Wurth holds a Master’s in Law from Paris II University and a diploma in international relations from Sciences Po Paris. He also holds an additional diploma in Luxembourg law. In 1978, Hubert Wurth joined the Luxembourg Foreign Ministry, where he held various positions: attaché in the Department of International Economic Relations, member of the Luxembourg delegation at the 33rd and 34th sessions of the United Nations General Assembly, Deputy Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the Council of Europe and Head of the Private Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs and Justice. In 1986, he was appointed as Deputy Political Director with special responsibility for security. From 1989 onwards, Hubert Wurth served as Ambassador in several countries. In 1989, he became Ambassador of Luxembourg to the Soviet Union, Poland, Finland and Mongolia. In 1992, he became Luxembourg Ambassador to the Netherlands and was also appointed as Ambassador on Special Mission to the former Yugoslavia (1996-1997). Hubert Wurth also served as Ambassador of Luxembourg to France, to the United Kingdom, Ireland and Iceland, and to Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia. Alongside his role as Ambassador, Hubert Wurth was appointed as Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the OPCW and Head of Mission and Permanent Representative of Luxembourg to the UN in New York. He also chaired the High-Level Task Force for donor countries and was a board member for UNDP and UNICEF. In 2003, he became Permanent Representative to the OECD and UNESCO, and in 2007, he became Permanent Representative to the IMO. In 2011, he was appointed as Permanent Representative to the International Organisations in Vienna and to the OSCE. During the Luxembourg Presidencies of the European Communities/European Union in 1980, 1985, 1991, 1997 and 2005, Hubert Wurth chaired various European bodies. From 2004 to 2016, he was Founding President of the Edward Steichen Award Luxembourg association (ESAL).