Dear Members,
Dear Friends of ESCALA,
I hope you had a wonderful summer and that everyone was able to make the most of this time to rest, recharge and, above all, share precious moments with family and friends.
The summer break is also an opportunity to take a step back and reflect on how far we have come. And for me, the start of this new season has a very special significance.
One year ago, my fellow founders of ESCALA placed their trust in me by entrusting me with the presidency of our Business Club. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them once again, sincerely, for their confidence.
Twelve months later, I can tell you that this first year has gone by at full speed!
We have organised numerous events across our four clusters, while also developing other gatherings around new themes. These professional, institutional and social occasions have enabled our members to meet, exchange ideas, build new relationships and, in some cases, even create new collaborations.
Because our ambition remains the same: to create opportunities, bring people together and build bridges between Luxembourg and Portugal.
A year marked by an exceptional moment
Of all the moments we have shared this year, one will remain particularly memorable for me: the visit to Luxembourg of the President of the Portuguese Republic.
It was an immense honour for ESCALA, but also a genuine challenge for our Business Club. We rose to the occasion and collectively demonstrated our ability to organise a high-level event worthy of such an important visit.
I believe we can all be proud of what we accomplished that day.
That moment perfectly reflects a belief that I regularly share with you:
“Together, we are stronger and, together, we can move mountains.”
A success that belongs to everyone
This first year as President has also confirmed something essential for me: none of this can be built alone.
I would therefore like to express my sincere gratitude to His Excellency Mr Pedro Sousa e Abreu, Ambassador of Portugal to Luxembourg, for his trust, his constant availability and his support for ESCALA. His presence alongside us is invaluable and a genuine encouragement to continue our work.
I would also like to warmly thank the Camões Cultural Centre, which welcomes us and regularly gives us the opportunity to organise our events at its premises.
A big thank you also goes to all our partners. Their trust enables us to develop our projects, imagine new events and continue growing ESCALA.
But above all, thank you to you, our members.
Your presence at our events, your loyalty, your exchanges, your ideas and your involvement are the true strength of our Business Club.
ESCALA is not simply a calendar of events. ESCALA is a community, and you are that community.
Outstanding teams
I would also like to take the opportunity of this first anniversary to thank everyone who works behind the scenes.
To my first team, who supported me during the first part of my term: thank you for your commitment and for all the work you accomplished. Without you, so much of what we achieved would not have been possible.
And to the new team now in place: thank you for your energy, your enthusiasm and the incredible momentum you have already brought to ESCALA.
I must even admit that sometimes I struggle to keep up with you myself! But that is certainly the best sign I could have hoped for as we look to the future.
And now, a new season begins!
Following the summer break, ESCALA’s new season is now underway.
We have already had the pleasure of coming together for our first event, organised with one of our partners, and this is only the beginning.
A particularly rich autumn and winter programme lies ahead, with important themes and new opportunities to come together.
And I can already tell you: there are still some wonderful surprises in store before the end of the year! Some are already being prepared, while others will be revealed to you very soon.
Our aim is to continue surprising you, but above all, to offer events that are meaningful, that bring people together and that deliver real value to our community.
And while this new season is just beginning, we are already actively working on the 2027 calendar.
It is a genuine challenge. After such an intense year, our ambition is not simply to continue at the same pace: we want to go further, reinvent ourselves and continue developing ESCALA.
We still have many ideas, many projects and, above all, tremendous enthusiasm.
So let us continue to meet.
Let us continue to create opportunities.
Let us continue to open doors.
Let us continue to build bridges between Luxembourg and Portugal.
And above all, let us continue moving forward with the conviction that has guided us from the very beginning.
I wish you all an excellent start to the new season and look forward to seeing you again very soon.
Michel Bastos
President
ESCALA Business Club Luxembourg–Portugal