Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 03/03/2009 07:51 AM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 03/03/2009 07:57 AM
Expires: 01/01/2014 12:00 AM
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Gov. Schwarzenegger Delivers Remarks at CeBIT 2009 Opening Ceremony
GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER: Thank you. Thank you very much. It’s great to be here today for the opening ceremony of the 2009 CeBIT Conference. What an amazing gathering, almost half a million people from nearly 100 different countries. This is kind of like the Olympics, except fewer muscles and more neckties I see out there.....
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Let me first say thank you very much to Chancellor Merkel for being such a terrific host. I just had the honor of meeting the Chancellor and we had a wonderful conversation about the environment and about energy and about the CeBIT Conference and so on. And I tell you, what an inspirational leader she is. The first female chancellor in Germany’s history and she’s doing amazing work on the economic crisis, on climate change, human rights and the list goes on and on and on.
And Chancellor Merkel’s influence stretches, of course, far beyond just Germany and Europe. She’s admired all over the world. In fact, for each of the last three years the internationally renowned Forbes Magazine has named her the most powerful woman in the world. And now I’ve heard that they’re even making Barbie dolls after her. Wow, that’s really a sign that you have arrived, let me tell you.
Anyway, under her leadership I know that—(Applause) Now, I know that under her leadership the German people are in good hands. And, of course, this country—yes, let’s give her a big hand for her great leadership. (Applause)
Now, of course, this country holds a very special place in my heart. When I was young, after my service in the Austrian army, I moved to Munich to help a friend manage his gymnasium. My friend, as a matter of fact, is right here somewhere; his name is Albert Busek. I spent two years in Munich and, let me tell you, those were the two most crucial years of my life and I’ll you why; because it was there where I learned the discipline and the work ethic that still drives me today.
Those years also served as a springboard for me in my bodybuilding career. I won my first two Mr. Universe titles while I was training in Germany and that created the springboard to allow me to go then to America and to eventually become a successful businessman and an actor and made lots and lots of money. (Applause) So I will always cherish the time that I spent here and the opportunities that this country offered me.
But never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would come back to Germany as the governor of the great state of California, leading a delegation of more than 50 of California’s top technology companies on a trade mission to this spectacular international conference. CeBIT is the world’s largest technology trade fair, with more than 5,000 companies participating from all corners of the Earth.
This year, of course, we are gathering in challenging times, in the midst of a crisis that is strangling economies and businesses around the globe. Some may say that this is the worst time for a big trade show like this, but they could not be more wrong.
This is the best time to have this trade show, because in times of crisis we can respond in one of two ways. We can sit back and complain and whine and resign ourselves to defeat, or you can stand up, challenge yourself and challenge everyone around you to work even harder and you can refuse to fail. You can use a crisis as an opportunity to shine, an opportunity to leap past your competitors who are taking it maybe easy and taking the easy way out. That’s what winners do. Losers whine, but winners move forward in a strong and powerful way.
And I know that everyone here at CeBIT is a winner. (Applause) You’re all here because of the tremendous opportunities. At last year’s conference $13 billion dollars in sales were made. Think about that—$13 billion. I wish I had some of that money while I have this budget crisis in California, I can tell you that. (Laughter)
CeBIT is all about pumping up your business and finding new customers and pumping up the economy, finding new customers around the world, because in today’s economy the world is the marketplace. And that is why I have gone on trade missions. I’m a big believer that, if the world does not know about your products, then how do you expect them to be sold to the world? There is no way. So this is why I believe in trade missions. I’ve gone to China, to Japan, to Canada and to Mexico and now we are in Europe, we are here in this beautiful country of Germany. I go to expand California’s markets and sell California’s products, because I know they are some of the best in the world.
And when it comes to technology, if you want to see the best you all know that CeBIT right here is the place to be. So you can imagine how excited I am that California is the first state to ever serve as this trade show’s official partner, because previously, as you know, this distinction was only given to countries such as France, Russia, India and America. What an incredible honor for my state and what an incredible honor for me as governor of this great state.
But I’ve always said that California is not just another state; we are more like a nation-state. California is the world’s eighth largest economy. We are the high-tech capital of the world, the entertainment capital of the world, the innovation capital of the world and the list goes on and on, because to be a Californian means to strive to be the best, to invent, to innovate and to create, to lead and not to follow.
It was a tiny garage and in that tiny garage in Silicon Valley, this is where they built the blocks, the building blocks for the modern computer, where they were thought up and they were built.
California is also the birthplace of biotechnology. More than 30 years ago two men, a venture capitalist and a California university professor, created the biotech industry over beers in a San Francisco bar—over beers. And do you know something? It’s not confirmed, but I bet you any money it was over German beer. (Laughter) Because how else could they so creative? Only over German beer. Their work forever changed, of course, the way lifesaving drugs are made.
Right now we are investing billions and billions of dollars in stem cell research. We have the greatest universities, with the most sophisticated labs, doing the most cutting-edge research. We are always pushing the envelope, searching for that next great discovery.
And I brought with me 50 of the top companies from California, brought them right here to Hannover so that you can see for yourself what we are talking about here, the kind of products that we are developing. And I know that you will be blown away by what California is doing and what we have to offer and I know that we all will be blown away by what the rest of the world has to offer. You’re all pioneers in pushing the infinite limits of the human potential.
And these days the work of everyone here cannot be understated. We are in an age where technology is everywhere around us and driving everything that we do. It’s about much more than just plasma TVs and wireless internet. Technology is our greatest asset, our greatest partner in so many of the big challenges of our time.
It is helping revolutionize, for instance, health care. I have seen firsthand doctors examining patients that were 100 miles away through telemedicine. Technology is also helping us to develop cleaner cars and alternative fuel to clean the air and to fight climate change and you know how passionate I am about fighting global warming. It’s leading also to newer and cheaper forms of renewable energy and all of these advancements save customers and businesses big money and create millions and millions of jobs. Just in my state, over the last 35 years, improvements in energy efficiency have saved Californians’ more than $50 billion.
All this is made possible by technology. There is where the action is and why this tradeshow, where the top minds can meet and share ideas, is so important. A data processor can connect with a chip manufacturer, who can connect with a biometrics expert and who knows? We could have just created the next big thing that will revolutionize our way of life.
So, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the great state of California, welcome to the 2009 CeBIT Conference and I hope that everyone here has a terrific time.
And now, before we go on with the show, let me also say just a few words in German.
(IN TRANSLATION) I’m extremely pleased to be back with you in Germany. It’s always said America is that country of unlimited opportunities and it is true.
But on my personal success path Germany has played a very important role. In Munich my bodybuilding career really started to take off. I was 19 years young when I came from Graz and twice I became Mr. Universe during my Munich years and that was the springboard.
But it was not only important to engage my bodybuilding career, also as an actor. My films were excellently received over here and I’d like to thank the media representatives who were always so nice to me, although the reviews were always not that good. But they treated me nicely and I hope that will stay that way. Not even—(Applause)
Not even in my dreams I would have ever thought that sometime I would come back to Germany as a governor of California. As governor I’m very happy. I’m looking forward to the German beer in Germany. Thank you, Germany. And once again, I’d like to thank Federal Chancellor Merkel for her charming hospitality. I always gladly come back. I’ll be back. Hasta la vista, baby. (Applause)
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