The city of Lisbon is really big on the idea of people learning things throughout their entire lives. That is why Lisbon has joined a group with UNESCO that focuses on lifelong learning. This network is about helping people in different cities learn and grow and Lisbon is very excited to be a part of it. Lisbon wants to make sure that everyone has the chance to learn things no matter how old they are. By joining the UNESCO network Lisbon is taking a step towards making lifelong learning a priority. The city of Lisbon is looking forward to working with cities in the network to make learning a fun and exciting experience, for everyone. Lisbon and the UNESCO network are a team and they will do great things together to promote lifelong learning.
The city of Lisbon has become a part of UNESCOs Global Network of Learning Cities. This is a deal for the city. The people in charge of Lisbon say this is because of all the work they have done on education for adults over the years. This means Lisbon is now with than 400 other cities around the world that believe people should keep learning even after they leave school. Lisbon and these other cities think that learning should not stop just because you are not, in school anymore.
In life this is actually about something that is close, to home.
On a Wednesday afternoon in Alcântara older people get together at the public library to learn about computers and things like that. At the time on the other side of town a cultural centre has people meeting to practice speaking different languages, which is really helpful for migrants. In the community centres people sign up fast for classes on how to manage their money or live in a way that is good, for the earth. These things do not seem like a deal.. When you think about all of them together they are the kind of basic things that UNESCO likes to recognize and reward.
City officials say that the application is part of a long term plan. It is not something that they just thought of. For the ten years the city of Lisbon has been working on helping adults learn new things. They do not think of adult learning as something. They think it is an important part of what they do. The city has been running training programmes. Working with local organisations to help people learn. They have also been doing things in the community to help people. The city thinks that people can learn things in different places. People can learn things in museums, parks and community halls not in classrooms. The city of Lisbon wants to make it easy for people to learn things so they have been including adult learning in all of their plans, for the city.
The UNESCO network is not something. It has a lot of cities in it now 425 to be exact and these cities are in 91 countries. This means that the UNESCO network represents about 500 million people. When a city becomes a member of the UNESCO network it does not get any money directly.. It does get some other things that are very helpful. The UNESCO network gives cities the chance to talk to each share ideas. It also helps cities become better known around the world.. It lets cities work together in groups to figure out how to deal with things like getting older people moving to new places and changes in the job market. The UNESCO network is really useful, for cities because it lets them learn from each other and come up with solutions to problems.
That really matters when European cities are struggling to teach skills to workers and keep older people involved in their communities. In Lisbon it is easy to see what is happening with the people who live there. The city has a lot of people and also younger people who are moving there for jobs. It is very important to keep both people and younger people connected and doing things because this is not just about culture it is also about the economy of European cities, like Lisbon.
The city of Lisbon also has a political message. Learning is something that people in Lisbon can do their lives not just when they are young. This means that Lisbon is a city that wants people to be involved in their community. The people in charge of Lisbon talk about being strong and taking part in democracy.. When you look at what is actually happening it is often small things. For example a parent is taking classes at night to finish their education.. A small business owner is going to a workshop to learn about digital tools. The city of Lisbon is doing these things to help people participate. Learning is a part of this and the city of Lisbon is making it available, to everyone no matter how old they are.
Getting a UNESCO recognition does not really change life in a big way. The UNESCO plaque that you see on the wall does not automatically make things better. Solve problems, like long waiting lists. City administrators think that being part of the UNESCO network is really helpful because it allows cities to work together and try out things.
For people who live in Lisbon this label does not mean a lot now.. It shows that Lisbon has big plans. These days cities are trying to get the best people to move there and to get companies to invest in them. Lisbon thinks that learning things even if it is slow and happens over time is something that makes a city a nice place to live. Lisbon is counting on this to make it a great place to live.
The real test will come quietly, over years. If more people feel there is always somewhere to learn, at any age, then the designation will have weight. If not, it risks becoming another line in a strategy document.
