G20 Summit to Start Next Week: Hamburg as the Meeting Place for an Interconnected World

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/528999/Hamburg_Town_Hall.jpg )

     (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/528998/Hamburg_Elbphilharmonie.jpg )

As a cosmopolitan and liberal city that has maintained trade relations with much of the world for centuries, Hamburg is a good place for hosting the meeting. "Hamburg is a meetings location that, thanks to its port, has been regarded as a beacon of free trade for centuries," Germany's Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel said, whose decision it was to hold this high-level event in Hamburg. "Therefore, Hamburg seems to be predestined for hosting this summit."

For several days in early July, Hamburg will be in the spotlight of world politics. "In addition to the heads of state and government and their delegations there will be several thousand journalists from around the world gathering in Hamburg, and they will get to know our city and provide coverage on Hamburg," says Hamburg's First Mayor Olaf Scholz. It is estimated that some 10,000 participants will be attending, including more than 4,800 accredited media representatives from 65 countries. "As an optimistic, cosmopolitan and hospitable city, Hamburg is committed to being a good host to the G20 summit. Therefore, the event is also regarded as an opportunity for Hamburg."

Preparations for the G20 summit have been in full swing for several months, and now the countdown has begun: in a few days, political leaders from the world's 20 major industrialised and emerging economies and their delegations will be arriving in Hamburg. The exhibition grounds of Hamburg Messe in the very heart of the city will serve as the main venue for the summit, with special arrangements in terms of security measures. Hamburg, the "gateway to the world" with a port that is connected to 950 ports in some 180 countries worldwide, will be the first German city to play host to a G20 summit.

As part of its G20 presidency, Germany will be addressing traditional G20 issues relating to the global economy, trade, financial market regulations and fiscal policy, which have been included in the agenda ever since the financial crisis of 2008/2009. In addition, Germany aims to draw public attention to today's global challenges, such as combating pandemics, work safety, the promotion of women, ways of dealing with displacement and migration, prospects for African economies, as well as policy measures in the areas of climate protection, energy, and sustainable development. In the history of Hamburg, all of these topics have been of relevance.

The G20 countries account for approx. 80% of the global economic output and two thirds of the world population and may thus serve as an example of active globalisation. As a port city, Hamburg has always been international, and an ever-increasing number of global players choose Hamburg as an important test market before expanding into Europe.

On the night of 7 July, the G20 participants and their partners are invited to a concert in the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg - Hamburg's new landmark that has drawn immense international attention with its spectacular opening in January 2017. But not only that: with the opening of this amazing new concert hall, Hamburg has now positioned itself globally as one of the must-see places in 2017.

For more information on Hamburg: http://www.hamburg.com and http://www.hamburg-travel.com.

Contacts:
Hamburg Marketing GmbH
Guido Neumann
T: +49(40)300-51-580
guido.neumann@marketing.hamburg.de