languages. Unfortunately the pressure to speak several languages accentuates the tendency to abandon the use of minority languages. Therefore a stronger emphasis at national levels in promoting bilingualism or multilingualism in addition to mother tongue proficiency is vital. Within the EU our Member States have been aided by a Strategy for multilingualism issued in 2008. In our external relations we support projects to promote mother tongue based multilingual education. Some of these projects are included in the € 500 million the EU invests annually in education programmes in more than 60 countries around the world. We look forward to continuing our cooperation and conversation with all our partners, governments, UN agencies, and civil society, to further strengthen and explore ways to promote bi- and multilingual education, important for the eradication of discrimination based on language and for an inclusive and equitable education. Thank you.