7/31/2019 Discurso del Primer Alcalde de la Ciudad de Hamburgo, Olaf Scholz, con motivo de la inauguracin de las oficinas

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ADDRESS BY THE FIRST MAYOR OF HAMBURG MR. OLAF SCHOLZ AT THE

INAUGURATION OF THE EU-LAC FOUNDATIONS OFFICES

Hamburg, EU-LAC Foundation Offices, 3 May 2012

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President of the EU-LAC Foundation, liebe Frau Ferrero-Waldner,

Excellency Ambassador Valdz,

!Honorable Members of the European Parliament, !Honorable Members of Latin American and Caribbean Regional Parliaments,

Honorable Members of the Consular Corps,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would very much like to thank the EU-LAC-Foundation for opening the doors to theirnewly inhabited offices for us today. And special thanks to you, Ms. Ferrero-Waldner, foryour warm words emphasizing the role that Hamburg plays for the EU-LAC-Foundation.

I know that the search for suitable office rooms has not been an easy one. I am therefore verysatisfied that you have settled here: The area combines several characteristics that are typical

for Hamburg: as a merchant city, as a city shaped by water, and as a green city.The upscale town houses that still dominate the appearance of this part of town were built atthe end of the 19th century. Well-to-do merchants took their lodgings here, outside the wallsof Hamburg, far away from the smell, the dirt and the noise that the port brought along.They preferred to live in the more refreshing, healthier and greener outskirts near the AlsterLake. So, even though this area is rather far away from the port, it was also shaped by it.And it was trade that afforded the merchants the means for this style of life.

Furthermore, with the Alster Lake so close by, this area shows the connection to water,which has always been so essential for Hamburg. Actually, we could all take a stroll outsidenow and get to the Lake within 15 minutes.

Lastly, this street very much shows that Hamburg is a green city. We strain ourselves to keepit that way. It is just one of many aspects that makes Hamburg a metropolis with a very highstandard of living. And we hope that this may be noticed by the foundations staff as well as

by their visitors.

The Senate is very proud that the Foundation has taken her seat in Hamburg. And we gladlysupport her wherever we can. ! We wish you all the best of success for the tasks awaiting you:The conversion into an inter- national organization with 60 member states, the establishmentof a reputation as a renowned player in the bi-regional relationship between Latin America,the Caribbean and the European Union and the first conferences and congresses already

being drafted. I believe that today will certainly give you a head start, with so manymultiplicators from so many countries present.

Thank you.