CeBIT 2009 March 3-- Christian Wulff, the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California (left to right ) are having an opening tour at CeBIT 2009.
"CeBIT is all about pumping up businesses and finding new customers all around the world. At last year's conference US$13 billion in sales were made, so this is a fantastic opportunity for our economy and for these California businesses," said Governor Schwarzenegger.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger toured stands with Chancellor Angela Merkel as the six-day event opened under a economic recession.
"We are gathering in challenging times. Some may say this is the wrong time for a big trade show like this but they are wrong," Schwarzenegger continued, "Losers whine but winners move forward in a strong and powerful way and I know that everyone who is here at the CeBIT is a winner!" Schwarzenegger drew on references from his career as a bodybuilder, actor and entrepreneur to pump up his recession-knocked audience.
In spite of the worst postwar recession and a general election in six months' time, Angela Merkel thanked Schwarzenegger for bringing "a little American spirit" to the northern city of Hannover. She urged high-tech business leaders to seize the opportunities presented by the crisis, joining Schwarzenegger in a call for more "green", energy-efficient technology.
"I think there is such a thing as truly safe investments in the future," she noted.
