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The 2015 Rhine Meeting took place under the patronage of the European Parliament, represented by the President, Martin Schulz; the Schools and Further Education Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Sylvia Löhrmann; and of the former Archbishop of Cologne, Joachim Cardinal Meisner.

The European Parliament

The President Martin Schulz writes:

The goal of your initiative – bringing together young people and prominent people from the world of education to discuss the meaning of education both for personal expression and for a stronger European identity – is greatly appreciated by the Parliament. All Europeans have the right to high quality education, because of its importance in contributing to a well-informed, aware and responsible civil society. (…)

Given the clear European relevance of your initiative I am glad to assure you of the patronage of the European Parliament for your event. Sadly due to an engagement elsewhere I am unable to take part personally. Let me take the opportunity to wish you the greatest possible success for what will surely be an outstanding event.

The Schools and Further Education Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia

Minister Sylvia Löhrmann is Schools Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Vice-President of the Conference of Cultural Ministers, newly-appointed representative of the German Federal Council to the EU ministers council for education, youth, culture and sport, in the area of education. She has assumed the patronage of this year’s event and will address a personal greeting to the Meeting.

The former Archbishop of Cologne

As in 2014, the former Archbishop Joachim Cardinal Meisner, with the mandate of his successor, Rainer Cardinal Woelki, assumes patronage.