Dear Readers of the Newsletter of the German Consulate General in Vancouver,

You are receiving today the summer edition of our newsletter, which will hopefully provide you with useful and interesting information.

Summer is usually a time of relaxation, holidays, and easy living. Looking around Vancouver, this idyllic image of summer seems true — but we don’t have to go far to see other, devastating events that have sadly become the new normal. Wildfires are once again raging in B.C., on Vancouver Island, in the Okanagan, and many other places. The situation is even worse in Eastern and Atlantic Canada; authorities are already calling 2025 the second-worst wildfire season Canada has ever experienced.

Not too far away from us, in Alaska, an important meeting will soon take place that could significantly influence our security situation — both in Canada and in Europe. And still, we see no end to the terrible war in Gaza: neither a cessation of hostilities against Palestinian civilians nor the liberation of the Israeli hostages from the brutal terrorist group Hamas.

However, we also wish to share in this newsletter some stories of hope — for example, the success story from Germany about the renaturation of the Federsee Moor. It is these smaller but significant achievements, happening in our communities, that give us confidence there are still people with the vision and determination to make this planet a better place — whether through environmental conservation, building bridges by teaching foreign languages, helping the elderly, and much more. We owe these people our gratitude for their commitment, passion, and — in most cases — voluntary work. They are the real heroes who keep our society alive.

My colleagues and I wish you a pleasant and relaxing summer break with family, friends, and loved ones.

With best regards,

Marc Eichhorn
Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany