We are delighted to offer you the opportunity to attend an upcoming talk and cocktail reception in Luxembourg with 2025 Nobel Laureate in Economics, Professor Joel Mokyr. This invitation-only event is being organized by the Luxembourg School of Business. Members of our society can express interest in attending. We will then facilitate an invitation. Kindly be reminded that should you receive an invitation, you are expected to fulfill the commitment of attending.
Cost: the event is free, but sign-up is obligatory
Professor Joel Mokyr is an economic historian and the Robert H. Strotz Professor of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University. His work is highly relevant to Luxembourg, as it champions the strength of public and private institutions, density of knowledge workers, and openness to the world as critical elements to economic growth. Luxembourg exemplifies many of the very dynamics Professor Mokyr has spent his career explaining.
The talk will be followed by a social cocktail reception, where attendees can reflect on the ideas shared and connect with other guests who will represent a wide array of public and private sector interests in the Benelux region. Confirmed guests include ambassadors, central bank governors, c-level executives and academic leaders.
3 July at 18h: Invitation to the opening of the Exhibition: Grand Tourists to Turner: British Artist in Europe, 1750-1850. The Museum Director, Guy Thewes, is very kindly inviting all members of OUSL to come for the opening – and indeed to visit the exhibition for its duration (4 July – 11 October 2026).
To register for the opening evening 3 July, please write to: info@2musees.vdl.lu, or ring: +352 4796 4566.
4 July, from 20h onwards: Join ’the other place’ for a relaxed picnic while enjoying the ‘Summerconcert op der Kinnekswiss’.
John speed writes:
On Saturday 4 July, 2026 the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra will hold its magnificent end-of-the-season outdoor Summerconcert on the Kinnekswiss, starting at 21h00. Martin Rajna, the new conductor of the orchestra will take the baton for the first time, in a concert entitled “Bella Notte: Puccini and Verdi”.Last year the Society occupied a patch on the grass of the Kinnekswiss for the members of the Society and their friends and families, and it was such a fun evening that we are doing the same thing this year. So come along, with your picnic blankets and cushions, low-folding chairs, and your picnic, whatever you fancy.
Click here for the Concert programme What should I bring? Your picnic and drinks. Bring what you want for yourselves, it’s also nice to have some things that you can share with the other participants, as we do at the Boat Races events, it makes the event more convivial. So perhaps some salady things, or a cake? All sorts of drinks are allowed, alcoholic and soft. And don’t forget your (picnic) cutlery, plates, and “glasses”;Something to sit on, i.e. picnic rugs/blankets, cushions, low folding chairs (but not high-backed deckchairs, they tend to annoy the neighbours behind!)suitable clothing for the weather conditions. Remember that at the end of the evening you must take everything away with you, we have to leave the space clean and tidy. Registration: Click here to Register so that we know roughly how many people are coming, we would like you to register by completing the form below. Camsoc is kindly opening this picnic to members, friends and family from both Oxford and Cambridge. Where will we be? We will be where we were last year, on the right-hand side of the Kinnekswiss looking towards the stage, where the ground slopes upwards. We will aim to have some identifying items so that you can find us easily. Timing: We recommend that you come along from 20h00 onwards so that we occupy the space well in advance of the concert which begins at 21h. Any Questions? If you have any questions, please send an email to Rakesh Bhana at rakeshbhana@yahoo.com, with a copy to me at President@cambridgesociety.lu This is a great event in the Luxembourg summer calendar, and it is very popular. There will be a good crowd, of that we can be assured. We hope to see lots of you there, enjoying the outstanding entertainment.
We ended this busy half-year of OUSL events with a great talk by H. E. Hua Ning and dinner at the Golf Club Grand-Ducal. The large guest list included both OUSL members and friends from our sister societies.
This was the second part of our miniseries on Roman Britain. Whereas Oxford and INRA arranged the first talk and dinner with Professor Bowman speaking on the Vindolanda tablets, this event was arranged by Cambridge and INRA. We had a great talk by Professor Martin Millett: FBA, MAE Emeritus Laurence Professor of Classical Archaeology as we sat in the warm summer’s evening at the amazingly preserved Gallo-Roman Theatre in Dalheim. While the evening took onset in Dalheim we were soon engrossed in various archeological sites in Britain which Professor Millett, his team and colleagues had mapped, with magnetometers without any digging whatsoever! We heard about the exchange between Roman and English culture and left with a far more nuanced picture of the Roman invasion. Many of the seats of amphitheatre were filled and there was a lively Q & A after the talk.
Afterwards a good group of light and dark blues and archeologists had an excellent meal at ‘A Schmatten’. We are grateful to Cambridge for this lovely event which ended our Oxbridge miniseries on Roman Britain.
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See below for the invitation.
Venue: Gallo-Roman Theatre in Dalheim.
Organisers: Camsoc & INRA.
Please contact president@cambridgesociety.lu for more information.
It was a wonderful summer’s evening when we met Wednesday night, 18 June, for the Oxbridge Drinks at Atmos. Our small but select group – two from OUSL and the rest from Cambridge – had a really nice time in our corner of Atmos’ vast outdoor terrasse.
This was yet another of our smaller events at a landmark in our own city. We teamed up with Imperial, whose Chair, Silvia Colucci had put a great event together for us. Seated in the beautiful early 20th century room, we were given a splendid talk by Sergio Marx on the role of the bank, which prompted a lively exchange of questions and answers among our c. 30 person-strong group (Imperial, LSE, OUSL). Towards the end, we even had a surprise appearance from none other than Gaston Reinesch, the Governor of the Central Bank. Afterwards we were treated to a lovely reception, and later still, a smaller group went to Atmos to enjoy the perfect summer evening. The OUSL was well represented, both by members of the committee and other members.
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We are delighted to have been invited to team up with Imperial for this special visit to Banque Centrale du Luxembourg on Monday the 15th June at 18h00.
The evening will begin with a presentation in English outlining the institution’s activities, followed by a cocktail reception within the premises—an excellent opportunity for discussion and networking.
Please note that spaces are limited. We kindly ask you to confirm your attendance at your earliest convenience. For security and access purposes, participant names must be communicated to the bank one week in advance.We look forward to welcoming you to this insightful event.
Date and Time: Monday 15 June, 18h00. Venue: Banque Central de Luxembourg, 2, boulevard Royal L-2983 Luxembourg. Cost: the tour is free, and the reception is courtesy of the bank Sign-up by 8 June: please write chair@oxford.lu, and Silvia Collucci
Formal convocation were sent out soon, and we had a very good – and festive – Annual General Meeting.
Our member Francis Carpenter and his wife are kindly opening their lovely home for us for the event which will be followed by a glass of champagne curtesy of our hosts, and amuses bouches courtesy of OUSL.
More to come, but do sign up for this evening of Oxonians only. The AGM lasts around 45 minutes and the rest is a congenial get-together where Francis Carpenter may show us some of his rare collections of PreColumbian Artefacts, from the Pacific Coast to the Machu Pichu areas.
WHO CAN COME: All paid-up members of the OUSL! So you haven’t already done so, do hurry to pay the €40 for 2026 – otherwise, and forgive this foray into less festive legal speak – but you are only defined a member if pay the annual membership fee. Without it no membership and no right to vote a the AGM.
More info to come, but registration is now open:
Sign-up: Kindly ensure you have paid your €40 annual subscription prior to sig-up: Chair@Oxford.lu
We were delighted to present this long awaited conference with Professor Bowman, leading authority on the Roman world. Prof. Bowman spoke on his pioneering work on the administration of the Roman Empire, and most notably on the Vindolanda Tablets. The Vindolanda tablets are along Britain’s and Northern Europe’s oldest surviving handwritten documents, offering unparalleled insights into life of Roman Britain, including the earliest known birthday party invitation written by a woman. Discovered in 1973 at the Roman fort of Vindolanda, they have transformed our understanding of the early Roman occupation of Britain and (military) life in Northern Europe. Using infrared light, Professor Bowman and his team, painstakingly ploughed through hundreds of tablets until they were able to work out the texts – some were even in short-hand latin.
See below for pictures of the event.
This conference was organised in collaboration between Oxford Alumni, INRA and partners. It ties in with Camsoc-organised event with Professor Martin Millett 19 June, in an Oxbridge miniseries on Ancient History. Members of both societies are warmly invited to attend both events.
Venue: The Bowman Conference will take place in the large auditorium of Musée Dräi Eechelen, 5, Park Dräi Eechelen, L-1499 Luxembourg. There is no need to sign up for the talk as there is free access.
AFTER THE TALK, the OUSL is fortunate to have the opportunity to continue the evening over dinner with the speaker for a limited number of guests. See details below.
DINNER: We have secured the nearby Restaurant Feierwon, for an exclusive post-conference dinner with Professor Bowman. The dinner is limited to 20-25 seats, so if you wish to join, do not hesitate to register.
Dinner Sign-up: Apéro, three-course menu with wine at €110/pp. Please write an email to Mette Ahlefeldt-Laurvig.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Alan Bowman, Professor emeritus is a historian of the Roman empire with particular research interests in the documentary evidence from Egypt and northern Britain. Positions he has held include tutor in Ancient History at Christ Church, University of Oxford, Camden Professor of Ancient History and Principal of Brasenose College, President of the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, Vice-President (Humanities) of the British Academy (elected Fellow in 1994).
So, to sum up: Date: Wednesday 6 May 2026 Time: TALK : 18.30. Dinner: c. 20.00 Venue for talk: Musee 3 Eecheleen, hosted by the National Museum. Venue for Dinner (must be pre-booked): Restaurant de Feierwon, 6 Rue du Fort Niedergruenewald, 2226 Kirchberg, Luxembourg.
Organisers: INRA (organiser), /MNAHA(host)/OUSL (David Clark and Mette Ahlefeldt-Laurvig)/University of Luxembourg OUSL (co-host) in cooperation with INRA (Institut national de recherches archéologiques)
The day began with a private tour of the National Museum, expertly led by Curator Ralph Lange.
Looking at a fascinating face
…moulded from a wax negative
Then came Prof. emer. Alan Bowman’s great talk at the Museum Dräi Eechelen
