We are delighted to present you with the second issue 2015 of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) Newsletter.

The 2nd International Conference on Learning Cities in Mexico City, Mexico, is approaching. We are pleased to inform you that the Conference will be held from 28 to 30 September 2015 and that registration has kicked off on the Conference website www.learningcities2015.org. We cordially invite you to register your participation! The GNLC team is also pleased to announce a forthcoming publication, presenting case studies of twelve learning cities, which will be launched and presented in the context of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Cities.

This issue features insights from Ms Maria del Carmen Benitez Díaz, the mayor of Ybicuí, Paraguay, on her experience in developing Ybicuí as a learning city and bringing learning cities to a national level in Paraguay. Read about her top three suggestions on starting the process of building a learning city.

Cities around the world have continued to engage in learning activities in the second quarter of the year 2015. The Israeli Center of Learning Cities has passed an important milestone on the path of establishing learning cities in Israel, signing a treaty between three learning cities, representing three different religions. Also featured in this issue is Gelsenkirchen’s participation in a national contest called “City of the future”, in which 52 German cities compete in aiming to develop a comprehensive and sustainable “Vision 2030+”. Being one of the poorest cities in Germany, Gelsenkirchen’s vision is to improve its prospects by becoming a learning city. We are also delighted to share a Collective Impact Assessment Tool developed by the Community Learning board of Melton (Australia). It provides a valuable reference for local governments, community organisations or even corporations which use partnerships to achieve measurable impact in building learning cities. Another item in this issue reports on a ground-breaking national workshop on learning cities which was organised by the municipality of Jaboatão dos Guararapes (Brazil) in cooperation with the Brazilian national association of mayors and the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL). Around 200 participants, including ministers, mayors and experts in the field came together for this occasion to discuss the development of learning cities in Brazil. Also featured: Denmark’s efforts to enhance learning cities and the 2015 Global Lifelong Learning Forum recently held in the Republic of Korea, which recognised the importance of learning cities.

We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and find the content inspiring for your efforts in promoting lifelong learning within your own communities. The GNLC coordination team will continue supporting you during the process.

Finally, we encourage you to submit your city news regularly to learningcities(at)unesco.org to share interesting aspects for building learning cities with our readers.

Yours sincerely,

The UNESCO GNLC Coordination Team

We invite you to submit your city news regularly to [email protected].

English | Español | Français view online version Global Network of Learning Cities Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 2: April to June 2015 GNLC Team (left to right): Arne Carlsen (UIL Director), Raúl Valdés-Cotera, Monica Solorzano, Katharina Lunardon, Ana Başoğlu, Mo Wang, Michelle Diederichs Dear partners, We are delighted to present you with the second issue 2015 of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) Newsletter. The 2nd International Conference on Learning Cities in Mexico City, Mexico, is approaching. We are pleased to inform you that the Conference will be held from 28 to 30 September 2015 and that registration has kicked off on the Conference website www.learningcities2015.org. We cordially invite you to register your participation! The GNLC team is also pleased to announce a forthcoming publication, presenting case studies of twelve learning cities, which will be launched and presented in the context of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Cities. This issue features insights from Ms Maria del Carmen Benitez Díaz, the mayor of Ybicuí, Paraguay, on her experience in developing Ybicuí as a learning city and bringing learning cities to a national level in Paraguay. Read about her top three suggestions on starting the process of building a learning city. Cities around the world have continued to engage in learning activities in the second quarter of the year 2015. The Israeli Center of Learning Cities has passed an important milestone on the path of establishing learning cities in Israel, signing a treaty between three learning cities, representing three different religions. Also featured in this issue is Gelsenkirchen’s participation in a national contest called “City of the future”, in which 52 German cities compete in aiming to develop a comprehensive and sustainable “Vision 2030+”. Being one of the poorest cities in Germany, Gelsenkirchen’s vision is to improve its prospects by becoming a learning city. We are also delighted to share a Collective Impact Assessment Tool developed by the Community Learning board of Melton (Australia). It provides a valuable reference for local governments, community organisations or even corporations which use partnerships to achieve measurable impact in building learning cities. Another item in this issue reports on a ground-breaking national workshop on learning cities which was organised by the municipality of Jaboatão dos Guararapes (Brazil) in cooperation with the Brazilian national association of mayors and the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL). Around 200 participants, including ministers, mayors and experts in the field came together for this occasion to discuss the development of learning cities in Brazil. Also featured: Denmark’s efforts to enhance learning cities and the 2015 Global Lifelong Learning Forum recently held in the Republic of Korea, which recognised the importance of learning cities. We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter and find the content inspiring for your efforts in promoting lifelong learning within your own communities. The GNLC coordination team will continue supporting you during the process. Finally, we encourage you to submit your city news regularly to learningcities(at)unesco.org to share interesting aspects for building learning cities with our readers. Yours sincerely, The UNESCO GNLC Coordination Team   Insights Sustaining the process of building a learning city requires enthusiasm, involvement and commitment An interview with Maria del Carmen Benítez Díaz, Mayor of Ybycuí, Paraguay, about her experience in developing Ybycuí as a learning city and bringing this issue to a national level. more   From the UNESCO GNLC Press Release: Towards Building Sustainable Learning Cities 2nd International Conference on Learning Cities 28–30 September 2015, Mexico City, Mexico. more Unlocking the potential of urban communities: Case studies of twelve learning cities The forthcoming publication showcases examples of cities from all over the world which use the learning city approach to enhance citizens’ individual empowerment, social cohesion, economic development, cultural prosperity and sustainable development. more Learning: The Treasure Within The 2015 Global Lifelong Learning Forum in the Republic of Korea discussed the trend and importance of lifelong learning in cities. more Learning Cities in Denmark A seminar on Learning Cities was held in Copenhagen on 30 April 2015. The seminar made the idea of the learning city more tangible for Danish city representatives and outlined the way forward for Denmark to enhance the learning city concept. more   Cities in Action Learning to live together - Learning cities in Israel Three learning cities, Modi'in, the Arab town of Daburiya in Galilee, and the city of Udine in Italy, representing three different religions and cultures, have signed a treaty for cooperation in which they recognise lifelong learning as a driving force for growth, stability and success of their inhabitants and commit themselves to promote the learning city concept in their communities. more Is Germany’s ‘City of the Future’ a learning city? The German city of Gelsenkirchen is participating in a national competition entitled ‘Zukunftsstadt’ [City of the Future]. Gelsenkirchen’s entry centres on its plans to become a learning city. more Outcome strength + partnership strength = impact The City of Melton’s Community Learning Board has developed a Collective Impact Assessment Tool to help government practitioners track the progress and impact of learning cities and learning communities. more Implementing Learning Cities in Brazil A workshop, held on 2 and 3 June 2015 in the Brazilian city of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, discussed the concept of learning cities and provided insights into actions for and experiences of developing learning cities in Brazil. more   Upcoming events 2nd International Conference on Learning Cities 28 September 2015 - 30 September 2015 – Mexico City, Mexico Connecting Cities and Universities at Strategic Frontiers - PASCAL 2015 07 October 2015 - 09 October 2015 – Catania, Italy Copyright © 2015 UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. All rights reserved. To subscribe, unsubscribe, submit news from your city or contact us, please reach us at [email protected] To learn more about the GNLC, please visit our website at learningcities.uil.unesco.org