Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear friends of young people, the target group of today.

Most of the young pupils involved in the program are not present today,
but today is the start, the beginning of our cooperation, and I am con-
vinced that it Will become a big success.

My name is Karl-Wolfgang Eschenburg and I am the chairman of the
Deutsch-Finnische Vereinigung (German-Finish Association) located in
Lübeck. What can be the connection between Deutsch-Finnische Ver-
einigung and Erasmus+?

It is very simple, in our statute has been stipulated as No. 2 of the targets
of our organisation: Promotion of international exchange of pupils and
finding companies for abroad traineeship. Because of our name it is quite
natural to practise this with our neighbour via Baltic Sea, Finland. And
with our twin town Kotka. With Gdansk we are connected by a lot of cul-
tural links from the past up to now.

So by trying to assist in finding school partners abroad we are very close
to our statue. The Deutsch-Finnische Vereinigung Will celebrate its 100th
anniversary 2018. We were founded some weeks after the formation of
Finland as a state of its own. So by celebrating our anniversary we have
to show that we take the responsibility of our task earnestly.

I am very happy about the success of finding 5 partners in these three
countries: Finland with Karhulan Koulu and Karhulan Lukio, both from
Kotka-Karhula, Poland with 20th Gymnasium Hanse Junior Highschool
und the 2nd Liceum of general education, both located in Gdansk, and
finally the Ernestinenschule from Lübeck. Our organisation fathered that
project, we are a little bit proud, you could imagine. Ladies and Gentle-
men, on this fundament you Will be able to erect a big pedagogical build-
ing. That is my conviction.

The elected subject "You are What you eat" suits me personally. But Ob-
viously it pleased as well the authorities which were responsible to grant
or not to grant you the money. If I look around in the streets of Lübeck
there could occur the idea to get American circumstances with respect of
excess poundage of people.

Each contribution to avoid this development Will be praised by the re-
sponsible persons and by the politicians.

So I wish all involved pupils and teachers a lot of fun in connection with
hard work. I wish you success in the application for your own weight
What you have learned during participating in the program. I wish you in-
ternational friendship, perhaps for a whole life. Thank you.