Geneva 1991 89 • advisory and decision-making bodies in which minorities are represented, in particular with regard to education, culture and religion; • elected bodies and assemblies of national minority affairs; • local and autonomous administration, as well as autonomy on a territorial basis, including the existence of consultative, legislative and executive bodies chosen through free and periodic elections; • self-administration by a national minority of aspects concerning its identity in situations where autonomy on a territorial basis does not apply; • decentralized or local forms of government; • bilateral and multilateral agreements and other arrangements regarding national minorities; • for persons belonging to national minorities, provision of adequate types and levels of education in their mother tongue with due regard to the number, geographic settlement patterns and cultural traditions of national minorities; • funding the teaching of minority languages to the general public, as well as the inclusion of minority languages in teacher-training institutions, in particular in regions inhabited by persons belonging to national minorities; • in cases where instruction in a particular subject is not provided in their territory in the minority language at all levels, taking the necessary measures to find means of recognizing diplomas issued abroad for a course of study completed in that language; • creation of government research agencies to review legislation and disseminate information related to equal rights and non-discrimination; • provision of financial and technical assistance to persons belonging to national minorities who so wish to exercise their right to establish and maintain their own educational, cultural and religious institutions, organizations and associations; • governmental assistance for addressing local difficulties relating to discriminatory practices (e.g. a citizens relations service); • encouragement of grassroots community relations efforts between minority communities, between majority and minority communities, and between neighbouring communities sharing borders, aimed at helping to prevent local tensions from arising and address conflicts peacefully should they arise; and • encouragement of the establishment of permanent mixed commissions, either inter-State or regional, to facilitate continuing dialogue between the border regions concerned. The participating States are of the view that these or other approaches, individually or in combination, could be helpful in improving the situation of national minorities on their territories. V. The participating States respect the right of persons belonging to national minorities to exercise and enjoy their rights alone or in community with others, to establish and maintain organizations and associations within their country, and to participate in international nongovernmental organizations.