Ibadan, Abuja, Kano and Owerri have been enlisted in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.
This was officially announced at the just concluded third International Conference on Learning Cities which took place in Cork, Ireland, September 2017.
According to UNESCO, a learning city promotes lifelong learning for all and at local levels, thereby stimulating sustainable development. The said city effectively mobilizes its resources in every sector to promote inclusive learning from basic to higher education; revitalizes learning in families and communities; facilitates learning for and in the workplace; extends the use of modern learning technologies; enhances quality and excellence in learning; and fosters a culture of learning throughout life.
In doing so, the city enhances individual empowerment and social inclusion, economic development and cultural prosperity, and sustainable development
Lifelong learning is key in creating sustainable cities and societies. In the quest for sustainable societies, we must learn to live sustainably.
People require certain skills, values and attitudes if they are to contribute to the creation of sustainable societies and address the challenges they face in helping achieve this goal. In today’s fast-changing world, where social, economic and political contexts are constantly being reshaped and reevaluated, learning must be continuous and lifelong. Lifelong learning and education must, therefore, become a main driver in developing the resources necessary for people to achieve sustainable environmental, social and economic advancement.
Cities are on the frontline of the battle for sustainable development. They are the scene not only of rapid economic growth and technological innovation but also of extreme poverty, socio-economic inequality and excessive consumption. They are also sites of continuous exchange of knowledge and ideas; places where people live, work and learn. As such, every city has enormous potential to stimulate and support learning among their inhabitants in ways that can help tackle existing issues, strengthen social cohesion and solidarity, and transform the prospects of urban communities for the better.
The conference was conceived at a critical time in global development with countries working towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to which cities have a significant contribution to make.
The conference further provided a platform for cities to share knowledge, exchange ideas and compare strategies and approaches that can be used to further develop or initiate development of learning cities.
The open, vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Cork offered an excellent setting for the conference as participants also discussed the development of learning cities in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly the local implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’.
