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Dr. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, is to become a member of the Honorary Committee of the 2010 IIHF World Championship in Germany. This was confirmed in a letter from the chancellor's office to Uwe Harnos, President of the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) and President of the Organizing Committee. The confirmation letter expressed wishes "for good luck and success with regards to the further preparation and organization of the event".
"The support of our Chancellor honours the 2010 IIHF World Championship as the year's most important international sporting event in Germany", said DEB- and OC President Uwe Harnos, pleased about the confirmation, and adds: "On our side we will do our very best to fulfil the expectations that are implicated with the confirmation of Dr. Merkel and try to present Germany as an open and sporting nation in the course of the 2010 IIHF World Championship".
Further members of the Honorary Committee are Dr. Jürgen Rüttgers – Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Jürgen Roters – Lord Mayor of Cologne, Dr. Peter Kurz - Lord Mayor of Mannheim, Frank Baranowski - Lord Mayor of Gelsenkirchen and Dr. Thomas Bach – President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).