The Esch2022 REMIX Opening wins gold

The opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture was honoured with the Golden Award of Montreux (CH)

The official opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture Esch2022, led by the agency Battle Royal Studios (Berlin), won the Golden Award in the category Online Events/Hybrid Events against international competitors, including major corporations and renowned agencies operating all over the world. It is the only award that went to Luxembourg this year.

The REMIX Opening excelled as an innovative hybrid event combining both analogue and digital elements, showcasing an exemplary format, scope and interactivity. Its rich and diverse programme could not only be followed live on site, but could also be experienced via an interactive online livestream. The programme included various stage shows, some of which had been developed in cooperation with local artists in the course of the Remix Festival back in autumn 2021. Among them were the dance project Esch2022 Moves, the music project Future Frequencies, a project that helped create the sound of Esch2022, and a space programme in cooperation with the Luxembourg Space Agency based in Esch-Alzette, in which 800 pupils from Luxembourg and France had the opportunity to design and submit their vision for the future. As a highlight of the REMIX Opening, the students then virtually launched their hand-drawn space rockets as a sign of peace.

“Around 32,000 people attended the Esch2022 REMIX Opening, including 14,000 people from 50 different countries who joined us via livestream. I am very proud of the entire team for their professional work. This award represents a significant international recognition of the commitment of those involved and it honours both the courage of the conception and the innovative character of the opening ceremony. It once again puts the entire southern region in the international spotlight,” says Georges Mischo, President of Esch2022.

Since the launch of Esch2022 at the end of February 2022, a total of over 70.000 guests (in addition to the REMIX Opening) have taken part in the various events and exhibitions throughout the entire region.*

The REMIX Opening was a perfect example of the participatory character of Esch2022

All in all, there were over 1,200 dedicated and passionate people behind and on stage who contributed to the success of this major event on 26 February 2022. They included around 500 service providers and employees, more than 350 creative and performance artists, mainly from the southern region, 250 remixers (volunteers from the Esch2022 community), around 50 security personnel as well as members of 26 local and 7 scout associations.

His Royal Highness the Grand Duke and Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess as well as Prime Minister Xavier Bettel attended the REMIX Opening along with other representatives of the Luxembourg and French governments. Esch2022 has been under the “Haut Patronage” of Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess since February 2020.

Globally renowned award

This year, the international Swiss award, which has been honouring “outstanding achievements” in areas such as advertising, digital design and events since 1989, carefully selected companies and their service providers from countries such as Germany, the United States of America, Korea and Brazil from a very professional and experienced point of view. The jury consists of various professionals including CEOs, creative and marketing directors of major companies from 24 countries.

* The statistics are compiled step by step by the different project partners and organizers and are being collected by Esch2022.