On 4 July 2025, the Cool Neighbourhoods project experienced a truly memorable moment—a royal visit that underscored the national importance of local climate action.
At the official opening of the Foire Agricole in Ettelbruck, Luxembourg the project proudly welcomed His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, accompanied by His Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duke and Her Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duchess.
A Warm Welcome
The Grand Ducal Family was welcomed by Mr Bob Steichen, Mayor of Ettelbruck, and Sacha Oberweis, project lead for Cool Neighbourhoods in the City. The delegation introduced Their Royal Highnesses to the Ettelbruck pilot site—a location that captures the very essence of what Cool Neighbourhoods stands for: transforming grey infrastructure into green, liveable spaces.
Cool Neighbourhoods Meets the Grand Ducal Family
From Car Park to Climate-Resilient Space
Once a large urban car park, the site at the Foire Agricole is now being reimagined as a multi-functional green space. Designed to mitigate heat stress, enhance biodiversity, and promote community wellbeing, it is a flagship example of how public spaces can be adapted in response to the dual challenges of urbanisation and climate change.
This transformation also reflects broader goals of the Interreg North-West Europe (NWE) programme—promoting nature-based solutions, community engagement, and sustainable urban development across the region.
Aerial view of carpark to be transformed
A Royal Endorsement of Local Action
The visit from the Grand Ducal Family provided powerful recognition for the work being done not just in Ettelbruck, but across all nine Cool Neighbourhoods pilot sites. It spotlighted how cities—large and small—can take meaningful action to build neighbourhoods that are not only cooler and greener, but also more socially inclusive and future-ready.
We are deeply grateful to the City of Ettelbruck for their leadership and vision, and to the Grand Ducal Family for their genuine interest in climate resilience and the green future of our cities.
Stay informed on Cool Neighbourhoods activities, pilot site updates, and tools by following us on our LinkedIn