The Prussian scholar, writer and statesman Wilhelm von Humboldt already knew that "it is always the connections with people that give life its value". This refers to our diverse contacts with fellow human beings, relatives, friends and colleagues. It is precisely these connections that define us and our urban society in Salzgitter.

Our family and friends are particularly important. They are firm constants and poles of calm in these changeable and stormy times. And that is precisely why it is also important to use the upcoming Christmas celebrations to find inner peace, joy and confidence together, to take a short break from the stress of everyday life with our loved ones and to recharge our batteries for the next challenging year. My request to you for the festive season: give a friendly smile or a word of encouragement to people in our city whom you do not know but whom you meet by chance. This is a joy for everyone, especially as there are also people in our city who have to spend Christmas Eve alone. You can do a lot of good with these small gestures. Christmas is exactly the right time for this! Let the spirit of charity, cheerfulness and joy continue to work in our city in the future! This is a great ray of hope in the current turbulent times, in which "the world threatens to fall apart at the seams".

Allow me to briefly review the past year, which has once again flown by:

Together, countless volunteer Salzgitter residents among you have moved and achieved enormous things in our city. Our volunteer firefighters, for example, together with our professional fire department and the many aid organizations in Salzgitter, are there for us and our safety around the clock. A good and reassuring feeling! Our sports, cultural and event scene is only so attractive and colorful thanks to the many committed people in the sports and shooting clubs, church communities, choirs, artists' groups, cultural institutions and advertising associations. And that is precisely why I am happy and proud that we were once again able to support many charitable associations and their volunteers this year with almost 4 million euros from the municipal Konradstiftungsgesellschaft mbH. And I am very proud of so many people who are active as volunteers in our city - that is fantastic and simply priceless! A big thank you to everyone who keeps our Salzgitter "running" in many areas through their voluntary work.

I am also very pleased and proud of the good progress of our new municipal construction projects. In the daycare and school sector, these are: the Brotweg daycare center in Salzgitter-Thiede, the Salzgitter-Lichtenberg daycare center (Zingel), the daycare center on Wiesenstraße in Salzgitter-Bad as well as the North Primary School in Salzgitter-Lebenstedt and the elementary school on Wiesenstraße in Salzgitter-Bad, all of which are expected to be operational by the middle of next year at the latest. Construction of the elementary school in Salzgitter-Lichtenberg is progressing on schedule until mid-2026. Construction of the year-round outdoor pool at the Stadtbad in Salzgitter-Lebenstedt is also currently underway and is scheduled to go into operation for the 2025 outdoor pool season. The refurbishment of the Fredenberg secondary school auditorium, one of our city's two large event halls, is nearing completion. The auditorium of the Salzgitter-Bad grammar school will also be completely renovated by 2027. Wing 1 is currently being renovated there. In addition to the numerous smaller refurbishment projects, this wealth of ongoing construction projects is a real tour de force in terms of planning and finances at around 89 million euros.

Unfortunately, some large companies in our city are also in stormy waters: in recent months, we have unfortunately often read and heard in the press about strong international competition and pressure to act as well as wrong business decisions. Furthermore, in recent years we have had to experience an economic and subsidy policy on the part of the federal government that has been inconsistent and in no way reliable. Volkswagen and Salzgitter AG have already invested billions of euros in Salzgitter as part of their transformation processes in order to position themselves for the future. And yet many jobs are currently at risk in our city too. I would like to see consensual, job-securing solutions for the future quickly so that the current uncertainty of employees and their families can be transformed into confidence and trust. Trust can move mountains! I am convinced of this - especially because of my Christian faith. Let us all stand up for it in our own position.

The past year was anything but calm and normal for me and I am sure for you too. We cannot change international and national political decisions and developments here in Salzgitter, but we have to deal with them locally. And we managed to do this in 2024, all together; however, the personal effort required was enormous for everyone. Thank you very much for your great commitment to our Salzgitter!

Now, in the spirit of the quote from Wilhelm von Humboldt mentioned at the beginning, I wish you many unifying and unforgettable moments with your family, friends and acquaintances as well as a happy, peaceful and blessed Christmas. I wish you good health, confidence and God's blessing for the upcoming new year 2025.

Yours