Luxembourg will have a ‘Boulevard de Kiev’

The major infrastructure project, touted as the future gateway to the city, will carry the name of the Ukrainian capital as a daily reminder of solidarity with the people of the war-struck country

Last week, local authorities in Luxembourg announced that they will rename the future N3 boulevard, dubbed a gateway to the city, to ‘Boulevard de Kiev’. The N3 is one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the Grand Duchy’s capital as, when complete, it will connect the central railway station with Howald.

The new boulevard will be flanked by a tram and is supposed to completely reorganise traffic in the south of the city, giving way to soft mobility. The project is supposed to be complete in 2023, while authorities have estimated the development cost at around 236 million euros.

A sign of solidarity

According to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are 5,775 Ukrainian refugees registered in Luxembourg, since the start of the war. Despite their relatively small number, the Grand Duchy – a country with a severe housing crisis, has been able to provide accommodations to the new arrivals.

At the same time, according to a statement by the city, authorities in the capital have opted for the show of solidarity enthusiastically by deciding to name one of the most important pieces of infrastructure in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Serge Wilmes, First Alderman of Luxembourg, went on to social media to explain that solidarity is very important for the city and this is why authorities want to show their support by changing people’s daily lives.

UPDATE 22 July: Local media report that the City later released a statement correcting the initial plan to name the boulevard from Kiev (Russian spelling) to Kyiv (Ukrainian spelling).