German ambassador to Canada will speak at York tomorrow

The German ambassador to Canada, Matthias Hoepfner, will be speaking at York tomorrow as part of the European Ambassadors at York University Lecture Series hosted by York’s Canadian Centre for German & European Studies.

Hoepfner’s talk, “A New Dynamic in Canada-EU Relations”, will be held on Feb. 10, from 2:30 to 4pm at 305 York Lanes, Keele campus.

Right: Matthias Hoepfner

In his talk, Hoepfner will speak about the relations between the European Union and Canada as well as the bilateral relations between Germany and Canada. He will also address some major global issues, such as the financial crisis and climate change.

An experienced diplomat, Hoepfner has been in his current post since 2006. Prior to that, he served in Indonesia and Libya and from 1996 to 2006 he held posts in the German Foreign Office, including that of deputy director general of the Department for Economic Affairs and Sustainable Development.

This is Ambassador Hoepfner’s second visit to campus, says John Paul Kleiner, coordinator of the Canadian Centre for German & European Studies. “His visits are important for the centre as they deepen our long-standing connection with Germany’s representatives in Canada. In addition, Mr. Hoepfner’s visit is significant for York in that it raises our profile with an important member of the diplomatic corps in Ottawa.”

Everyone is welcome to attend the lecture. RSVP to ccges@yorku.ca.