Good morning and welcome to a new episode of Local Matters. On Local Matters today, we travel south, not to the beach, but to Esch. Last Friday, Radio ARA spent an entire day in Esch, we broadcasted live from Brillplatz. And I met Cesar Reyes in Esch, one of the project leaders of the Esch Clinics, a social project to promote political participation and explore ways for a just ecological transition.
Cesar is a researcher at the Geography department of the University of Luxembourg. He and his colleague Markus Miessen lead the project Esch Clinics, that aims to reshape into a model city for a just ecological transition. This initiative combines urban planning with political interventions and by integrating the voices and needs of the community.
The *Esch Clinics* officially launched in July, will really start in September. According to César Reyes, the idea behind the clinics is to make the city a reflection of the everyday realities of its inhabitants. Reyes emphasizes that cities are more than just physical spaces; they are shaped by the social interactions and relationships between people, the built environment, and even non-human elements.
The physical space of the Esch Clinics is located at 24 Rue du Brill, right in the heart of the Brill neighborhood, a vibrant and diverse area. This move, as Reyes points out, is symbolic but also very practical. By situating the project in the neighborhood, the team is stepping out of the so-called ivory tower of the university in Belval and placing themselves at the same level as their neighbors.
The community space in Rue du Brill will be the headquarters of this project. From there, researchers, artists, urban planners an social workers who will all be part of the project can go out into their neighborhoods. Over the span of three years, the Esch Clinics will invite several researchers and collectives for research residencies. All have a different field of expertise, social sciences, urbanism, architecture, environment protection, arts and aesthetics, language. The Esch Clinics aim to explore how the transition from the post-industrial workers city to an example of urban planning can work. The aim is to draft policy recommendations and make the local leadership accountable.
"You cannot just open a space and expect people to participate. These things take time.”
Participation is a huge part of the project. The rebuilding of the city ecosystem has to be done with the citizens; getting them to engage however might be the most difficult step. "You cannot just open a space, say 'Everybody come,' and expect people to participate naturally. These things take time. This is why social infrastructure needs to be planned, constructed, and then cared for, just as you would with roads or buildings. But in our case, this work is done through relationships."
One of the project’s first major collaborations is with the NGO Democracy Next which promotes new forms of participatory democracy. Reyes says: "We often think of democracy as something that happens every four or five years when we vote. But true democracy is about engaging with the city and committing to its transformation every day."
This partnership will see the creation of civic assemblies in Esch; platforms where citizens can discuss and influence decisions on issues that affect their daily lives. Reyes explains that these assemblies are designed to be inclusive, ensuring that a diverse range of voices are heard. He highlights the importance of sortition, a process where citizens are randomly selected to participate, ensuring that even those who might not typically engage in politics have a chance to contribute.
Over the next three years, the project aims to develop policy recommendations that are not just theoretical but are backed by real, hands-on strategies. These recommendations will be informed by the research residencies and civic assemblies and will be presented to local politicians and planners. The goal is to translate these strategies into tangible changes in the city.
Listen also to the entire interview!