Webinar series: ‘Building green, inclusive and climate-resilient urban communities – the learning cities approach’
Currently responsible for around 75 per cent of global CO2 emissions, cities – and in particular the transport systems and office buildings – play a pivotal role in the world’s response to the climate crisis. In addition to being central to the transformation to inclusive and green economies, cities are also at the forefront of efforts to empower local communities with the knowledge and skills that are needed to break long-established patterns of unsustainable consumption, production and mobility.
UNESCO learning cities, with their strong expertise in lifelong learning, are uniquely positioned to instil climate consciousness and equip local residents with the green skills essential for a sustainable society. Leading up to the sixth International Conference on Learning Cities (3 to 5 December 2024, Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) themed 'Learning cities at the forefront of climate action,' the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) will be hosting a webinar series focused on learning cities and the climate emergency.
These webinars will explore a variety of topics related to learning city development, with a particular emphasis on how the climate crisis affects local communities. Special attention will be given to examining the connections between the climate emergency and other thematic areas of focus within the global network, including education for sustainable development, lifelong learning for health and global citizenship education. The primary goal of the webinars is to facilitate exchange and peer-learning among GNLC members. Summaries of the sessions will subsequently be compiled to inform a background document for sixth International Conference on Learning Cities.
The webinars will take place on Zoom from 13:00 to 14:00 (CET/CEST) on the third Wednesday of each month starting on Wednesday, 20 March, and ending on Wednesday, 20 November 2024.
Webinar languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Korean, Spanish
Acknowledgement: Arabic interpretation is provided by the Regional Center of Quality and Excellence in Education (RCQE) under the auspices of UNESCO, located in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Chinese interpretation is provided by the Shanghai Municipal Institute for Lifelong Education (SMILE). Korean interpretation is provided by the Learning City of Goyang, Republic of Korea. We thank our partners in supporting language interpretation which is key to make the webinars accessible to participants in different regions.
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About UNESCO learning cities
Connecting education, training and cultural institutions and engaging a wide range of partners such as public-sector representatives, civil society organizations and employers is a key feature of UNESCO learning cities. They effectively mobilize resources in every sector to promote inclusive and quality learning, from basic to higher education. They revitalize learning in families and communities and facilitate learning for and in the workplace while extending the use of modern learning technologies.
The Global Network of Learning Cities’ activities on the promotion of climate action are a contribution to UNESCO’s Greening Education Partnership and an instrument for the implementation of the Marrakech Framework for Action, describing lifelong learning as a key lever for equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to address the climate crisis and to empower them to become role models for change.