About this Episode
Why do communities return to the same routes, gatherings and rituals year after year?
In the third edition of Bourgmeisterin: Fireside Chats, host Julia Khalyavko speaks with heritage scholar and public historian Joëlla van Donkersgoed about how collective traditions have shaped the rhythm of summer in Luxembourg.
The conversation follows the season through three rituals: the rhythmic movement of the Hopping Procession of Echternach, the blessing of grapes in Greiveldange and the first glasses of Fiederwäissen shared at the end of the harvest.
Together, Julia and Joëlla explore why communities create rituals, what it means to move and celebrate as a group, and how traditions help people mark beginnings, endings and the passing of time.
Why do some customs survive while others disappear? And what can these repeated acts still teach us about identity, uncertainty, community and belonging today?
Joëlla van Donkersgoed is a Dutch heritage scholar and public historian based in Luxembourg. With a background in heritage studies and art history, she examines how communities connect with their past in the present. She has led several public-history projects at the University of Luxembourg’s Centre for Contemporary and Digital History.
The episode was recorded during a public fireside chat on 25 June 2026.
Bourgmeisterin: Fireside Chats is a bi-monthly cultural storytelling series hosted by Julia Khalyavko, co-produced with ARA City Radio and supported by the Ministry of Family Affairs, Solidarity, Living Together and Reception of Refugees.
The conversation is in English.
