The Forum @ Kanada Haus (FORUM) is an annual interdisciplinary conference aimed at deepening professional intercultural exchanges and the already strong partnership between Germany and Canada. Each year, the FORUM focuses on a contemporary issue of relevance for both countries in areas such as business, culture, economic security, or climate change. The conference concept is designed to offer experts from diverse fields the opportunity to network and exchange ideas. The FORUM is hosted by the Embassy of Canada in Berlin in the impressive Kanada Haus at Leipziger Platz.
In Partnership with
Conference Program
| CET | EDT | |
|---|---|---|
| 1.00 pm | Admission at the Embassy of Canada in Berlin Leipziger Platz 17 |
|
| 1.30 pm | 7.30 am | Welcome and Opening Remarks |
| 1.40 pm | 7.40 am | Session 1: Navigating the New Security Landscape: Canada-Germany in Focus Global power shifts, emerging threats, and rapid technological change are fundamentally reshaping defence priorities across the transatlantic alliance. How are Canada and Germany adapting their strategic approaches within NATO and bilateral frameworks? Experts will examine current geopolitical challenges and explore how deeper cooperation can strengthen both nations’ security positioning while contributing to broader alliance resilience. Panelists: o Thorsten Benner, Co-Founder and Director, Global Public Policy Institute o Dr. Emil Archambault, Center for Security and Defense, Global Innovation Fellow, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) o Federal Chancellery (TBA) |
| 2.30 pm | 8.30 am | Session 2: Procurement Pathways: Building Defence Partnerships That Work From regulatory frameworks to procurement strategies, Canada and Germany are discovering new ways to collaborate on defence acquisitions and technology development. Government officials and industry leaders will share insights into current procurement processes, highlight recent breakthroughs in bilateral cooperation—including critical minerals partnerships—and identify practical steps toward more integrated defence economic relationships. Panelists: o Clint Cossette, Director, Defence Sector, Canadian Commercial Corporation o Tim Boch, Senior Analyst and Consultant for Maritime Security, NEXMARIS o Martin Teft, Director, International Strategy & Business Development, Lockheed Martin Canada o Matthias Leck, Federal Ministry of Defence |
| 3.30 pm | 9.30 am | Coffee break |
| 4.00 pm | 10.00 am | Session 3: Industry Collaboration and Market Access in the Defence Sector As Canadian and German firms navigate complex market dynamics and regulatory landscapes, strategic alliances become critical for success. This session explores how companies can overcome entry barriers, leverage bilateral networks, and align capabilities—from advanced manufacturing to software solutions—to drive innovation and sustainable growth in the defence sector. The discussion will also highlight instances where commercial technologies find new applications within defence, illustrating the sector’s evolving ecosystem. Panelists: o Nicolaus Fürsen, Director, Sales and Business Development, CAE o Christian Pfeiffer, Senior Vice President Sales, Deutsche Messe o Rheinmetall o Gili Perl, Business Development Director, Intec |
| 5.00 pm | 11.00 am | Closing Remarks |
| 5.10 pm | 11.10 am | Networking reception |
| 6.30 pm | 12.30 pm | End |
Conference Moderator: Alexander Thamm
Event Registration
Event registration can be completed under the following link:
https://www.eventbrite.de/e/forum-kanada-haus-berlin-2025-tickets-1736724462619
Registrations will be accepted until November 18, 2025.
Please advise that only registrations via the Eventbrite link are permissible. For security reasons, participants require a confirmed registration to enter the event.
Past events
Since 2012, we have been holding the annual conference under its current name „Forum @ Kanada Haus“. Former conferences were devoted to:
| Jahr / Titel | Beschreibung |
|---|---|
| 2024 Geopolitics, Trade, Traceability: Critical Links in the Global Supply Chain | The 2024 edition of Forum @ Kanada Haus, held on May 28th, 2024, focused on a pressing issue for both Canada and Germany, as well as many other nations – global supply chains. Against the backdrop of a post-COVID era and swiftly shifting trade dynamics, the conference served as a platform to discuss geopolitical challenges, innovative solutions, and navigate the intricacies of the Supply Chain Act to meet sustainability targets. Read more |
| 2019 The Arts Beyond Borders. Perspectives on Cultural Diplomacy | |
| 2018 Integration at Work. Canadian-German Dialogue on Policies and Realities in the Current Migration Landscape | |
| 2017 CleanTech in Canada and Germany: Leveraging our Innovation Ecosystems | |
| 2016 Climate Change and the Renewal of Cities / A German-Canadian Dialogue | In 2016 we tackled Climate Change and the Renewal of Cities, welcoming Michael Small from the Simon Fraser University Centre for Dialogue, Vancouver as our top keynote speaker. Adelphi, a Berlin based independent think tank and public policy consultancy on climate, environment and development led its credibility to our event as our conference partner. read more |
| 2015 “Delivering the Goods”: German-Canadian Logistics and Infrastructure for Enhanced Transatlantic Trade | The 2015 Forum addressed German-Canadian Logistics and Infrastructure for Enhanced Transatlantic Trade and the implication of CETA on air freight and other forms of intermodal transport. Conference Partners were the Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft (BVMW) e.V. and EKUPAC GmbH, Cologne. |
| 2014 Workplace Diversity. A long road to corporate reality | In 2014, the Forum focused on workplace diversity and its role in maintaining productivity in countries, like Canada and Germany, with ageing populations. Conference partners were the OECD Berlin Centre and the Bonn-based IZA Institute for the Study of Labor. |
| 2013 Harnessing Disruptive Technologies. The Canada-Germany Value Chain | In 2013, the FORUM’s success story continued with a focus on fostering, financing and application of innovation, which attracted experts from the research, venture capital and industry sectors. This time, the Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (BITKOM) and the German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (BVK) joined us as conference partners. |
| 2012 Energy Security: National and Regional Perspectives | Re-branded as Forum @ Kanada Haus in 2012, the conference sharpened its profile as a discussion platform for highly topical economic and trade issues. Experts from the economic and political sector, as well as, from professional associations came together to exchange their views on Energy Security, with the OECD Berlin Centre as a well-established conference partner and multiplier. |
| 2011 Global Village – Calamity or Chance? |
Past speakers
Actively supporting our initiative, the Embassy of Canada has helped us throughout the years in gaining renowned speakers such as
- William Crosbie, 2010/11 Ambassador of Canada in Afghanistan
- Jochen Sanio, President, German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) 2002-2011
- Brian Lee Crowley, Founding Director of the Macdonald-Laurier-Institute, Ottawa
- The Honourable Kevin G. Lynch, P.C., O.C., Vice President of the BMO Financial Group, Toronto
- Dr. Ilse Treurnicht, President of the MaRS Discovery District Toronto
- Prof. Dr. Günther Wess, Vice President of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres
- The Honourable John Manley, P.C., O.C., President and CEO of the CCCE
- Mark Keese, Head of the Division for Employment Analysis and Policy, OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs
- Wendy Zatylny, President, Association of Canadian Port Authorities
- Dan Kelly, President and CEO, Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
- Michael Small, Executive Director “Renewable Cities”, SFU Centre for Dialogue, Vancouver
- Dr. Vera Rodenhoff, Head of Division, International Affairs in the Field of Environment, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB)
- Dr. Inge Paulini, Secretary-General, German Advisory Council on Global Change
- Prof. Dr. Rainer Walz, Head of the Competence Center Sustainability, Fraunhofer ISI
- Laura O’Blenis, Co-Founder and Managing Director, AURP Canada
