What if, due to a lack of adequate structures, museums were to become homeless shelters?
The title is intended to give us food for thought and point to a serious problem. The museum is to be regarded as a symbol. It can be an expression of the wealth of a country, of its culture and its infrastructures. It can also be perceived as a contrast between wealth on one side and poverty on the other. In the case of Luxembourg, the example of the museum intends to highlight the way in which our country has spent its resources during the good years, without thinking about tomorrow and the less prosperous years to come. Poverty is marginal in our society. It is our duty to eradicate it and to ensure it never reappears. In one of the richest countries in the world, we must protect the weakest elements of society, to drag them out of their difficult situation which is rarely of their own making. The spirit of solidarity must return to our society and this not only in political speeches. The new social contract on which tomorrow’s society will be built is based on two pillars, solidarity and the enhancement of the individual. If the State has a key role to play in the protection of the weakest links, it must refrain from encroaching on individual freedom. We are all personally responsible for our destiny and must assume the consequences of our decisions, be they positive or negative. Personal choice is a fundamental right and the State has no right to interfere. Wealth is the fruit of personal choices. Some people are fortunate enough to have been born into a wealthy environment, but they are well aware that the origin of that wealth is the fruit of decisions and actions undertaken by previous generations; actions that have led to the creation of businesses and jobs. The majority of fortunes are not inherited; they are the fruit of hard work, energy, risky and courageous decisions. Success does not suddenly appear out of nowhere, it has to be earned. This evident analysis is not shared by today’s young people, who seem to be oblivious and unconcerned about their future. Their mentality must change as they have to realise they have to prepare for their future in order to be successful. Their success will depend on the choices they make during their studies and on the path they follow afterwards. There is always a slice of luck behind every success story. Even under the best conditions, a bit of luck is always needed to gratify personal fulfilment with success. On the other hand, poverty is seldom the consequence of personal choices. It results from a tragic set of circumstances and of bad luck. This is why we must show solidarity and help those who are affected. In order to avoid the rise of poverty, we must engage in reflecting on the reforms that have become an absolute necessity, be it in education, in the welfare state and especially in our Luxembourg model based on consensus and compromise. In order to spare the next generations the risk of poverty, we have to change mentalities and rethink the manner in which we spend our resources. We cannot carry on spending without thinking about tomorrow, and this by generating debt the next generations will not be able to pay back. We have to review our investment policies in order to direct them in favour of the next generations. We must invest all our energy in restructuring our economy to compensate for a future regression of the financial sector. A policy of re-industrialisation is indispensible, in order to create new businesses and secure jobs, especially in SMEs in the industrial sectors. To guarantee a prosperous future for our country, we must reduce our foreign dependency as much as possible and promote the creation of local wealth. For each planned investment, we must ask ourselves whether it is really necessary instead of spending thoughtlessly. The recent withdrawal of the “Luxexpo” project is a good example of that policy. First and foremost we must learn the lessons of the past and not commit the same mistakes and omissions. As crises are of a cyclical nature, we must adopt an anti-cyclical approach in order to anticipate every possible outcome. For example, investments in renewable energy help alleviate the impact of a future energy crisis. We must also be ready to deal with future shocks in the financial system and develop alternative avenues for growth through investments that target the diversification of our economy. Let us build our future together and let us use all the means necessary to pass on to the next generations a country that is best equipped to face future challenges. These means are not unlimited. We cannot afford the luxury to go all-out on spending and accept all the demands of every stakeholder. Everyone on their side must make sacrifices and question himself to allow us to find today the solutions necessary to guarantee success and prosperity tomorrow. If our grand-children were to ask us one day: “why didn’t you raise your voice, why didn’t you act?” Will we be able to be accountable for our actions?