On November 18, 2025, AmerikaHaus NRW, together with the Minnesota Trade Office and EY, was honored to host a reception celebrating the relationship between Minnesota and North Rhine-Westphalia. The Minnesota delegation included Governor Tim Walz, Commissioner Matt Varilek, and Commissioner Thom Petersen.

Following a warm welcome by Andreas Pyrcek of EY, Viktor Haase, State Secretary at the NRW Ministry of the Environment, Nature and Transport, emphasized the value of the partnership with Minnesota and the shared commitment to combining economic development with sustainability. AmerikaHaus NRW Director Viktoria Harbecke, drawing from her own formative experience as an exchange student in Minnesota, underlined the importance of people-to-people connections and of jointly standing up for democratic values.

The program then turned to the representatives from Minnesota. Commissioner Matt Varilek of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development highlighted that what connects NRW and Minnesota goes beyond business ties: a mutual belief in science, technology, and democratic principles forms the foundation of the relationship.

Governor Tim Walz followed with heartfelt remarks, expressing his appreciation for AmerikaHaus NRW’s role in strengthening transatlantic ties. He stressed the importance of maintaining close subnational partnerships to jointly address pressing challenges such as climate change. “Now is the time,” he said. “When it feels like there are barriers in front of us, when it feels like there’s difficulty in moving anything, when the world feels chaotic, it’s times like these where opportunities present themselves; it’s times like these when we make better choices for the long run.” And he highlighted Minnesota as a place for business and investments, saying “When Minnesotans make deals, we make deals with winners on both sides.”

Closing the official part of the program, Commissioner Thom Petersen of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture spoke about his own German heritage and deep ties to Germany, and he reaffirmed that Minnesota is very much open for business with NRW.

The reception brought together roughly 220 guests from business, politics, academia, science, agriculture, and civil society in both states, creating space for discussions on current challenges and opportunities to form new connections.

We extend our sincere thanks to the Minnesota Trade Office and EY for their cooperation and for helping to make this inspiring evening possible.

Photos: Larissa Neubauer