"Christmas is not a season. It's a feeling" - I can fully endorse this quote from the American writer Edna Ferber. Christmas is a time of coming together and warmth. Christmas and the days "between the years" are a time of contemplation, joy and charity for me, and I'm sure many of you will feel the same. A short break in these turbulent and turbulent times, which we should all take advantage of. "Peace on earth!" is the Christmas message.

But we are noticing that our world is threatening to come apart at the seams! The threatening "Cold War between East and West" is long gone, but now the world is once again facing enormous challenges. A terrible war continues to rage in Ukraine, in the middle of Europe. And the terrorist attack on Israel and the terrible suffering in the Gaza Strip also leave us stunned. These and many other worldwide sources of crisis and unrest frighten us. Human suffering touches us and also changes our society. We are all feeling the clear effects in the form of a sharp rise in energy prices, economic stagnation, high inflation and, consequently, social tensions. All of this makes the present seem fragile and makes us look to the future with concern.

I take these fears and worries seriously and yet now is exactly the right time to look to the future with hope!

Let me now tell you about what gives me hope and what we have achieved together:

I was very pleased that this year, for the first time since the pandemic, we were able to experience all the major events in our city without any restrictions: Kultursommer, Klesmerfestival, Wine Festival, Cityfest, Altstadtfest and Christmas markets are just a few examples. This year, many clubs and organizations made up for anniversaries and celebrations that had been cancelled in previous years. The big celebration to mark the 152nd anniversary of the Salzgitter-Bad volunteer fire department or the fantastic village festival 1001 years of Salzgitter-Lesse come to mind as examples. Perhaps you felt the same way - finally another summer in which we were able to celebrate extensively and enjoy the wide range of events on offer in our town. This was and is made possible by countless Salzgitter residents, especially those who volunteer their time. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to express my special thanks to all the volunteers in the clubs, associations, institutions and aid organizations. It is you who make our city active, attractive and lively.

True to what our Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier once said:

"Anyone and everyone who cares about more than just themselves wins a piece of the future for us all."

We, the council, Lord Mayor and administration, have also brought our town centers to life: the magical lights in the rose garden in Salzgitter-Bad, the "Light The Night" light nights and the new extended Christmas lighting in Lebenstedt cost a total of around 231,000 euros. Money well spent for the many visitors who came to our city centers and were thrilled and moved. And we want to continue this together in the coming years. We would also like to thank our advertising associations, who are committed to helping us all year after year - and not just at Christmas.

I am also hopeful about the numerous construction projects in our city. We have been investing heavily in our daycare centers and schools for years. This year, we were able to open the Ringelheim daycare center and break ground for the Brotweg daycare center in Thiede and the Lichtenberg elementary school and daycare center. Preparations are also underway in Wiesenstrasse in Salzgitter-Bad for the start of construction of an elementary school and a daycare center. The Fredenberg West daycare center will be completed next year. The refurbishment of the auditoriums at our grammar schools are also major projects that we are implementing: The auditorium of the Am Fredenberg grammar school will resume operations next year after complete refurbishment and the auditorium of the Salzgitter-Bad grammar school will be completely renovated by 2027 as things stand. Wing 1 of the school building there is already being renovated and will be completed next year. The conversion and extension of IGS Salzgitter will also be completed next year. The construction measures mentioned have an investment volume of around 92.5 million euros; money well invested in our future!

Incidentally, the new St. Elisabeth Hospital in Salzgitter-Bad is also undergoing major construction work. The shell of the building is slowly taking shape. I am delighted that this ambitious project is being implemented despite all the developments at federal level. A bold step, but also the right one! A good supply of GPs and a hospital close to home are important cornerstones of sustainable healthcare. This is also the reason why we, the Council and the Lord Mayor, have launched a municipal support program for the establishment of GP practices, which is showing initial success.

I am also hopeful for our future as Lower Saxony's third-largest industrial location thanks to the billions invested by Salzgitter AG and Volkswagen in Salzgitter, which are making pioneering carbon-neutral steel production and cell production in the VW Salzgitter gigafactory a reality. The Hydrogen Campus will also be a source of ideas for the hydrogen-based industry and make Salzgitter a pioneer in this field.

All of this makes me optimistic that although we are in a serious situation in Salzgitter, we have good reason for hope. Let's work together in the coming year to turn hope into a future!

With this in mind, I wish you, your families and friends a happy, peaceful and blessed Christmas. For the New Year, I wish you good health, confidence and many wonderful moments.

Yours