Since the beginning of the year 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has welcomed 38 new cities from 23 countries to its Learning Cities Network (GNLC), announce from the organization. Thirteen of the newly admitted cities are located in the European Union. Here they are:
- Montpellier and Evry-Courcouronnes in France;
- Hamburg in Germany;
- Dublin in Ireland,
- Palermo in Italy;
- 's-Hertogenbosch and Groningen in the Netherlands;
- Setúbal, Alcobaça and Cantanhede in Portugal;
- Gdynia in Poland;
- Derry City and Strabane Region and Glasgow in the UK.
The aim of the Network is to support and accelerate the practice of lifelong learning which is achieved through the promotion of policy dialogue and peer learning, partnerships, capacity building among others. Moreover, the cities belonging to GNLC contribute substantially to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, namely for “inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. They also make efforts to become “inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.
While Portugal already boasts 11 cities, this is a first for Poland and the Netherlands. The largest number of learning cities in the European Union are in Greece – the country is proud of its 13 members.
