Education transcends the classroom - it is a collective endeavour, and cities play a key role in promoting learning for all. The 72 new UNESCO Learning Cities announced today are redefining what it means to learn - turning every street, library, workplace, museum and home into a space for knowledge and innovation. By making education a priority, from early childhood through adulthood, these cities are empowering people and unlocking opportunities for all.
Stefania GianniniAssistant Director-General for Education
With this expansion, the Global Network of Learning Cities, launched in 2013, now includes 425 cities from 91 countries, collectively supporting lifelong learning opportunities for nearly 500 million citizens.
UNESCO Learning Cities are dynamic communities where learning is embedded in everyday life - across schools, workplaces, libraries, homes, and public spaces. They create opportunities for all: reskilling and upskilling workers to meet evolving job markets, providing literacy for those who missed out in early years, empowering citizens of all ages to navigate and shape the AI era, and fostering entrepreneurial mindsets.
For instance, in Porto-Novo (Benin), the Women's Entrepreneurial Pathways Project combines literacy, vocational training and microfinance to empower women as entrepreneurs in crafts and food processing. The Lisbon (Portugal) City of Learning platform connects over 120 partners to offer 1,200 mapped learning opportunities throughout the city. And through its Secondary Learns Programme, Buenos Aires (Argentina) is transforming secondary education through personalized pathways and interdisciplinary teaching, reducing dropout and preparing youth for the future.
11 capital cities and 13 new countries
Among the new members are 11 capital cities, including: Porto Novo (Benin), Bissau (Guinea-Bissau), Lusaka (Zambia), Cairo (Egypt), Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Lisbon (Portugal), Ankara (Türkiye), Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Hanoi (Viet Nam), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Caracas (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela).
13 countries are joining the Global Network of Learning Cities for the first time, including: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chile, Cyprus, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Lithuania, Mongolia, Niger, Turkmenistan, United States of America, Venezuela, and Zambia.
