languages reinforce each other and the linguistic identity is then both instrumental and a goal in itself at the same time. It is worth mentioning that very few States address the issue of the aims of education in their Reports. Some States do address the principles of education and educational curricula under Article 6 of the Framework Convention.9 The Advisory Committee discussed the aims of minority education also when noting that Sorbian minority schools had existed for over a hundred years and had not only “an educational function but also contribute to the expression of Sorbian identity in the areas traditionally inhabited by this minority”.10 1.4 Importance of Articles 4 - 6 of the Framework Convention Parents want their children to have a good quality education ensuring them equality of access and treatment and enabling children to develop their capabilities and personalities, to become full members in the societies in which they live and to live decent lives. All States have an interest in and an obligation to encouraging and facilitating such efforts and in ensuring social cohesion in their territory. In addition to the specific provisions (Articles 12-14) guaranteeing the right to education and rights in education, Article 6 of the Framework Convention identifies education as an area of specific importance with regard to the necessity of a spirit of tolerance and intercultural dialogue: ‘1. The Parties shall encourage a spirit of tolerance and intercultural dialogue and take effective measures to promote mutual respect and understanding and co-operation among all persons living on their territory, irrespective of those persons' ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious identity, in particular in the fields of education, culture and the media. 2. The Parties undertake to take appropriate measures to protect persons who may be subject to threats or acts of discrimination, hostility or violence as a result of their ethnic, cultural, linguistic or religious identity.’ Articles 4, 5 and 6 form a continuum of core obligations of States. In the field of education, Article 4 guarantees equal access to education and prohibits discrimination. It also explains that State Parties undertake to adopt, where necessary, positive measures to promote full and effective equality for persons belonging to national minorities. This cannot be sufficiently emphasized. The Framework Convention presupposes that States actively pursue the goals embodied in the Convention. A passive attitude may amount to a violation of the obligations provided for under the Convention. Examples of this are the absence of legislation guaranteeing rights to and in education for persons belonging to national minorities, or minority policies that are of an ad hoc and unsystematic character.11 Such - appropriate and necessary - measures introduced in order to promote the full and 9 See e.g. State Report of Estonia ACFC/SR(99)16, paragraphs 30-31, discussing the aims of the Estonian Education Act and also the State Report of Switzerland ACFC/SR(2001)2, paragraph 153, on the importance of education for intercultural contact and promotion of tolerance. 10 See Advisory Committee Opinion on Germany ACFC/INF/OP/I(2002)008, paragraph 59. 11 See for instance the Opinion on Italy ACFC/INF/OP/I(2002)007, paragraph 58, where the Advisory Committee notes that teaching of minority languages should be part of co-ordinated programmes rather than only experimental isolated efforts. In the Opinion on Sweden ACFC/INF/OP/I(2003)006, paragraph 60, the Advisory Committee criticized the absence of legislative guarantees for bilingual education for others than the Sami, in spite of the existence of a clear demand in this regard. 9