Vocational training helps refugees in Germany Tuesday marked Merkel's last integration summit before her chancellorship comes to an end with German elections this fall. Remarking on how the concept of integration had shifted over her time in office, she said, "we've learned that integration doesn't just affect some groups: It affects society as a whole." Pushing back against pandemic setbacks The summit, headed by Integration Commissioner Annette Widmann-Mauz, brought together some 120 people representing states, municipalities and civil organizations. During a press conference after the summit, Widmann-Mauz stressed the importance, especially during the pandemic, of ensuring an effective integration strategy as soon as possible to secure Germany's role as "an economically strong, modern country of immigration for the future."