European Young Leaders (#EYL40)

Carole Dieschbourg served as a municipal councillor in Echternach from 2011 to 2013, when she was appointed to the government as Minister of the Environment. At the time she was the youngest member of the cabinet and the only Green Minister of the Environment in Europe. Carole represented the European Union during the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris, which coincided with Luxembourg’s Presidency of the EU Council. Her role was to ensure that the EU had a coordinated position during the conference. In the run-up to the COP21, she also represented the EU at many bilateral meetings and high-level conferences such as the Petersberg Climate Dialogue and the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF).

Louis Linster was proclaimed 2024 Luxembourg Chef of the Year by the Gault&Millau guide, and he holds a Michelin star for his restaurant in the village of Frisange, south of the Grand Ducal capital. “His knack with sauces is second to none, as is his flair for presentation and plating,” says the Michelin guide. Cooking is in Linster’s DNA. His mother Léa Linster is a culinary legend: the first – and so far, only – woman to win France’s Bocuse d’Or contest for the world’s top chefs. Following her retirement, Louis Linster took over the restaurant, which still bears his mother’s name, serving up modern-French cuisine with Asian influences.

Sophie is a Luxembourgish actress, well known for her roles in the crime series, “City Hunter” (“Nicky Larson et le parfum de Cupidon”) and Netflix’s “Capitani”. A linguaphile, Sophie is building her international portfolio, playing roles in German, French and English. Most recently, she has starred in movies within the drama and thriller categories, including “An Zéro – Comment le Luxembourg a disparu” and “Skin Walker”. Sophie has also appeared in a number of theatre productions, including “Ivanov” and “Le jeu de l’amour et du hazard”. In her first leading role and big screen debut, Sophie played a rebellious teenager in the French comedy, “Le Correspondant”. During her studies, Sophie was among those selected to join the world renowned Classe libre at the Cours Florent.

An Iranian-Luxembourgish entrepreneur, Dr Tahereh Pazouki founded Magrid, a pedagogical programme that develops and improves cognitive and math abilities by removing language as a barrier to learning, in order to support equal educational opportunities for all learners. The award-winning project was inspired by Pazouki’s research on children with migrant backgrounds and language disorders in Luxembourg’s public school system, which concluded that adapted training can support children who are disadvantaged by an education system in reaching their full potential. The Magrid programme now helps thousands of students in schools across Luxembourg and Portugal with early childhood development in math, visual-spatial and cognitive abilities. It will soon be available for parents all over Europe. Pazouki also founded a start-up, LetzMath, to continue the research and development of educational solutions that champion equal opportunities. In recognition of her innovative contributions to the field of education, she has been the recipient of the World Summit Awards, the European Investment Bank’s social innovation prize, the Creative Young Entrepreneur award and the MIT Solve award.

Monica is a Luxembourgish TV presenter and politician, and was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2019. Having worked as a journalist and TV presenter for over two decades, Monica is well-known amongst Luxembourg’s public. Having won a seat in the European Parliament for Luxembourg’s Democratic Party and serving as a full member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, Monica has expressed her intent to prioritise equal opportunities for children and young people in particular as well as an equal platform for entrepreneurs. Monica has been actively engaged in charity work, including for cancer research and as a former ambassador for SOS Children’s Villages and Fairtrade.

A pioneering businessman from Luxembourg, Tobias Stüber is the CEO of Flibco, a digital company specialised in the niche of airport to city transportation. He is an expert in change management and digital transformation, who champions progressive working models to boost productivity and employee motivation. Stüber was the first CEO in the country to successfully implement a four-day, 32-hour work week that maintains a full-time salary. Under his leadership, Flibco has expanded with new connections to 12 airports, with plans to become Europe’s leading digital sales platform for airport shuttles. In addition to his role as CEO, Stüber has successfully worked as a strategical and digital consultant for election campaigns in German national and regional levels.

Serge is a Luxemburgish MP for the Christian Social People’s Party. Originally interested in the fields of history and European society, Serge briefly worked for the national archives before quickly making his way into politics first as a parliamentary advisor and then an elected official from 2011 onwards. After being elected chairman of the Young Christian Socialists (Jeunesse Chrétienne-Sociale – CSJ) in 2008, Serge Wilmes went on to become chairman of the CSV for Luxembourg City in 2016. Since 2017, he has held the office of First Deputy Mayor (premier échevin) of Luxembourg City, overseeing urban development, architecture, information technology, commerce and tourism.