The Minister for Integration in North Rhine-Westphalia Guntram Schneider presented the draft law on the promotion of social participation and integration in North Rhine-Westphalia. "By law, we assume a leading role in Germany - we are the first region, where there will be a participation and integration law," said minister Schneider on 16 August 2011 in Düsseldorf. With the law will exist a binding legal basis to promote the participation and integration. "The law will give a sign to the 4.3 million people with an immigrant background living in this country: you are welcome and are a part of our society," the minister said.