On June 5th, as part of the LUGA exhibition, the Arboretum of the Lycée Technique d’Ettelbruck (LTEtt) was transformed into a living, purposeful artwork: the Kompass MegaStern, the result of the European artistic initiative Beedabei, conceived by artists Peter H. Kalb and G.M. Bartulec.
This symbolic installation was unveiled in the presence of several notable guests, including Martine Hansen, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Viticulture, Fränk Fries, Director of the Lycée Technique d’Ettelbruck, Peter H. Kalb, co-initiator of Beedabei, and Steffen Schulze, horticultural technician.
Made up of 40 bee-feeding stations and 10 planters from Rhineland-Palatinate, the work forms a striking star shape—an artistic representation of a Europe united through nature. Every component was carefully designed to merge artistic expression, ecological awareness, and community participation.
This ambitious project came to life thanks to the inspiring collaboration between students of the Lycée Technique Agricole, Parc merveilleux, Saargärtner, Gärtnerei Millenoacht, and Gartencenter Schmitz. Together, they quite literally got their hands in the soil to create a powerful message: biodiversity knows no borders.
Each planter, signed and numbered by artist Peter H. Kalb, contains a message of hope. Through this artistic gesture, the project aims to sow optimism and cultivate the future—one flower box at a time.
A highlight of the inauguration was the first blooming of a new yellow honey-producing rose variety, baptized by Minister Martine Hansen. This blossom stands as a symbol of a flourishing Europe, deeply committed to protecting the environment for generations to come.
At the close of the event, the planters were gifted to attendees, ready to spread the beauty of the project far and wide. Today, the Kompass MegaStern continues to shine beyond borders, now rooted in homes and gardens—reminding us that every action counts when it comes to safeguarding biodiversity.
Beedabei: an artistic and ecological project for the bees
Launched in 2019, Beedabei is a participatory art project that raises awareness about the protection of wild bees—crucial pollinators whose survival is threatened and who still lack proper legal protection at both national and European levels.
The initiative began in the heart of Nuremberg, Germany, where more than 220 bright yellow planters, filled with nectar-rich plants, were arranged in the shape of a European star. The message was simple and powerful: what strengthens bees above all is access to proper nutrition.
Today, Beedabei continues to engage urban communities across Germany and Europe, urging them to take tangible action in support of wild pollinators. These yellow planters—immediately recognizable—have become powerful symbols of commitment to urban biodiversity.