Dear AMCHAM members, partners and friends,
Our hopes, prayers and support are with the people of Ukraine and the neighboring countries of Poland, Czech republic, Romania and Moldova. All of these countries have a common recent history of moving from domination by Russia into closer ties with Europe and the US, via transitions which have seen standards of living rise accompanied by increases in personal freedom and personal choices accompanying increases in personal and societal prosperity. These countries and their citizens have embraced democracy over authoritarian rule and to a very significant degree have indicated by considerable majorities that they do not wish to go backwards again into the embrace of a Russian sphere of influence. The AMCHAMs in Europe (AMCHAM.lu included) stand in solidarity with these people and their countries, wish them well and are offering our help and support both individually and also collectively.
At the same time, our hearts also go out to Russian conscripts who did not volunteer to invade a neighboring country, and their parents who are frightened by the potential loss of their sons while likewise harboring no ill will towards their Ukrainian brothers and sisters. We do not think this decision to invade Ukraine was a decision by the Russian people and likewise do not blame and hold accountable our Russian colleagues here in Luxembourg who have sincerely and vigorously expressed their profound anguish at all that has taken place. We believe they, like the rest of us, hope and pray for a just and fair outcome.
We join the huge chorus of many voices here at home and globally which have been raised urging an end to the violence and the resolution of disputes by peaceful dialogue. We hope against hope for a just outcome. We applaud all of the international community, corporate and individual efforts to help in ways small and big for the restoration of peace.
We are grateful for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which has ensured our collective safety for many years. We thank the soldiers, sailors and airmen who make sacrifices very day so we can live in peace, freedom and prosperity.
Next week we will announce our plans to relaunch our already well received Russian language newcomer orientation course for new Ukrainian refugee arrivals into Luxembourg with two excellent Russian speaking but not Russian passport holding presenters who have been working very hard to review and update this course to fit the current times. These courses will be presented free as a public service in 5 hour sessions, twice a month on Saturdays to Russian speaking refugees from Ukraine registered with the Luxembourg government. We hope we can announce the location of this training next week and hope to be able to accommodate 150 entrants for each session. We especially thank BCEE which has offered to cater lunch for these sessions. Additionally AMCHAM will offer a free one year AMCHAM membership and a free AMCHAM MEMBER BENEFITS DISCOUNT CARD to each attendee. There will be further news on this orientation program and the accompanying AMCHAM support in the Newsletter of next week.
In addition, AMCHAM.lu, as a member of the Federation of American Chamber of Commerce in Europe, has joined with our federation colleagues in the purchase of Satellite Internet Starlink kits from Elon Musk which we will collectively deploy within Ukraine in an effort to ensure internet access and vitally needed communications capability for Ukrainian businesses, Ukrainian governmental entities and appropriately identified Ukrainian private citizens. These internet kits are being provided by Elon Musk at his cost without any profit and we thank him very much for doing this. AMCHAM.lu has for the moment committed to buy 2 of these Starlink internet access kits within the umbrella program sponsored and managed by the Federation of AMCHAMS in Europe (ACE).
Interested companies and individuals who wish to support us on these projects by financial contributions to help us pay the expenses we will incur for this program of action and support, would be most welcome. Please contact us at phone number 431756 or via email to info@amcham.lu.
Despite all of this, life must go on and we are doing our best to help and support our members and friends in their activities and lives here in Luxembourg to the very best of our ability, as we have done during the last 27 years.
If you are a member, thank you for being part of our family! If you are not yet a member but like what we are doing, JOIN US by using the form later in this Newsletter.
Our respect and very best wishes to you all,
Paul Schonenberg
Chairman and CEO
AMCHAM.lu
