Greetings from Mr. Wolfgang Tiefensee -
Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Historically famous as a city of commerce and trade fairs, Leipzig has recently developed into a logistics hub connecting Eastern and Western Europe. The city has attracted many renowned international companies and become a symbol of the dynamism and economic force of an entire region. Highly qualified employees and a great potential for innovation form the basis of this dynamic development.
The hosting of skills competitions is a great means of creating a platform for future professional success and it heightens public awareness of “young people and their future”.

The demographically determined decline in specialists poses new challenges to our qualification and professional training systems. The Leipzig region tackles these challenges and is an excellent place to present the latest developments in this field. Leipzig is a host city that is both cosmopolitan and tradition-conscious – and a city that can easily impress visitors with many of its features, including its cultural diversity.

Because I am aware of the significance of an event such as the WorldSkills Competition for Germany and the region,I gladly support the collective bid by the Federal State of Saxony, the City of Leipzig and Leipziger Messe GmbH.

Federal Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee, Federal Minister
of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs and Federal
Government Commissioner for the New Federal States