Tribune News Network
Doha
Doha has won the UNESCO Learning Cities Award for 2024, in recognition of its outstanding achievements in promoting lifelong learning.
The award was received by Mansour bin Ajran Al Buainain, director-general of Doha Municipality, during an honouring ceremony held on the sidelines of the opening of the 6th International Conference on Learning Cities (ICLC 6) in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
Maha Zayed Al Qaqa Al Ruwaili, assistant undersecretary for Educational Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), said that Doha’s winning of the UNESCO Learning Cities Award for 2024 highlights Qatar’s commitment to enhancing lifelong learning opportunities and achieving Qatar National Vision 2030, which focuses on comprehensive and sustainable education in order to build a knowledge-based society capable of adapting to emerging challenges.
She explained that the ministry seeks, through many initiatives and programmes, to ensure that education is available and comprehensive to all, which enhances opportunities for continuous learning and motivates individuals to develop their skills and capabilities.
She said, "This achievement embodies the national efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the fourth goal to ensure quality education for all, and the 11th goal related to building sustainable and safe cities capable of adapting to future challenges. We are proud of this global recognition that reflects Qatar’s leadership in education and sustainability.”
Mansour bin Ajran Al Buainain, director-general of Doha Municipality, said Doha’s winning of the UNESCO Learning Cities Award this year comes as a result of its efforts to enhance lifelong learning opportunities through partnerships with the public, private and civil society sectors, in addition to increasing 15 percent of its budget allocated to developing learning cities.
He added that Doha has introduced a number of programmes dedicated to promoting sustainability, health and healthy practices for diverse groups, including students, workers, the elderly and food establishments, in addition to major initiatives such as establishing community learning platforms in cooperation with local educational institutions, which has led to an increase in the rate of adult learning to 25 percent over the past two years, which enhances inclusiveness in lifelong learning.
For his part, Ali Abdul Razzaq Al Maarifi, secretary-general of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, stressed that Doha’s winning of the UNESCO Learning Cities Award is a global achievement that reflects Qatar’s commitment to promoting lifelong learning as a fundamental pillar of sustainable development.
He said, "The Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science affirms its role as an active partner in supporting these initiatives in cooperation with international organisations, in a way that enhances the position of Qatar and its leadership in achieving the goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.”
Isabelle Kempf, director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), said: "The UNESCO Learning Cities Award will promote lifelong learning through the ability of residents to adapt, innovate and collaborate in finding solutions to the world’s greatest challenges.”
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) consists of 356 cities from 79 countries. The ability to connect educational, training and cultural institutions while engaging diverse partners, including public sector representatives, civil society organisations and employers, is a hallmark of UNESCO Learning Cities.
These cities mobilise resources across sectors to promote inclusive and quality learning at all levels, from basic to higher education. They also foster learning within families and communities, support workplace learning, and expand the use of modern learning technologies.
Members meet every three years at the International Conference of Learning Cities (ICLC) to assess progress, address challenges, and formulate joint solutions for the future.