From the 1^st to the 3^rd of October, the city of Medellin hosted the bi-annual International Conference on Learning Cities, with a focus on inclusion. More than 400 delegates were welcomed from approximately 150 countries to discuss the role of lifelong learning in meeting the 2030 goals for Sustainable Development. 

Two of the four background papers for the conference were chosen from PASCAL International Observatory associates, working at the University of Glasgow School of Education.

The overall background paper by Mike Osborne and Sergio Hernandez covered Sustainable Learning Cities: Inclusion, Equity and Lifelong Learning.  The background paper on Digital and Data Literacy for inclusive learning cities, offered by Catherine Lido, Lavinia Hirsu and Bridgette Wessels explored Digital and Data Literacies for Inclusion of Marginalised Citizens in Learning Cities. Therefore, the conference theme of inclusive Learning Cities was summarised:

Learning cities thus can become safe, resilient and sustainable when guided by the principle of inclusion. Learning cities can be key hubs of action in which local governments empower diverse communities and social actors to engage in the definition of policies and strategies that lead to inclusive and lifelong opportunities for all. (Conference Programme)

The overall background paper addresses the key concepts that pertain to educational and social inclusion, equity, lifelong learning and learning cities, linking these notions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their specific targets. Moreover, considering a set of vulnerable groups defined by UNESCO (migrants, young people, the digitally excluded, people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods and slums, and the disabled) the background paper reviews a variety of urbanisation models worldwide and consider the approaches that have been taken by city authorities to promote inclusion. In that light, it showcases 8 Case Studies of Learning Cities that are part of the UNESCO Network and which have received a UNESCO Learning City Award, as well as the PASCAL Observatory’s network of learning cities, and from the initiatives of other cities around the world.

The Lido, Hirsu & Wessels (2019) background paper critically operationalises inclusion in digital literacy, including its overlap with data and information literacies, as well as the current state of the digital divide. Digital literacy inclusion is highlighted as increasingly pivotal for the realisation of inclusive Learning Cities, as well as the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) related to education as a human right. The conference presentation moved the digital literacy discussion beyond a simple skills-based agenda, using a case study approach to illustrate digital and data empowerment, uniting and connecting stakeholders, and including the most vulnerable populations in societies in the so-called fourth industrial revolution. 

The conference opened with a welcome by the President of the Republic of Colombia, Mr Iván Duque Márquez, followed by an inspirational talk by the mayor of Medellin Mr Federico Gutiérrez, who spoke of the city’s transformation from a city plagued by violence and illegal activity, to the city we engaged with as UNESCO Learning City of the year. He stressed the importance of inclusive lifelong learning in this process- from literally knocking on the doors of children becoming marginalised from schooling to outreach education in the streets of the poorest neighbourhoods. He also highlighted the pivotal role of transportation innovation, in the form of the cable cars linking geographically remote villages in the mountains to the city centre with ease, widening employment opportunities to areas worst affected by criminal activity.

Plenary themes for the first day of the conference included; policies for inclusion at the local level, governance structures to support inclusive policies and monitoring mechanisms for learning cities. The second day offered parallel sessions around Learning City thematic priorities, namely; green and healthy learning cities, employment and entrepreneurship in learning cities, and Learning City planning and management. The late morning focussed on people living in deprived neighbourhoods, Meeting the needs of disabled populations, and other marginalised groups, including older people and the prison population. The day concluded with a parallel session on young people at risk, refugees and migrant groups and digitally excluded populations.

For this final session, Catherine Lido represented the PASCAL International Observatory (as incoming Deputy Director) and Urban Big Data Centre (as Associate Director) alongside the Mayor of Limerick Cllr. Sarah Keily who presented their work on ICT outreach, and Mr Nam-seok Ko, Mayor of Yeonsu-gu, Incheon   Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea, who presented on a digitally inclusive online writing programme. Lively discussion in a packed room surrounded the ways in which technology and digital learning can be brought into communities, can include older learners and can truly further the vision of inclusive education for all. PASCAL members met over the closing dinner to discuss the ways in which PASCAL might provide a vehicle for UNESCO Learning Cities and the PASCAL Learning City Network to engage in online knowledge exchange between UNESCO and PASCAL events, and how the themes discussed above can be integrated into a holistic approach to digital learning cities of the future.

Lifelong Learning practices are recognized as a powerful mechanism to tackle inequalities and support the development of inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities. The Learning City Award stands as international recognition of determination and exemplary progress made by cities in promoting lifelong learning and inclusive education: This year, the cities of Aswan (Egypt), Chengdu (People’s Republic of China), Heraklion (Greece), Ibadan (Nigeria), Medellín (Colombia), Melitopol (Ukraine), Petaling Jaya (Malaysia), Santiago (Mexico), Seodaemun-gu (Republic of Korea), and Sønderborg (Denmark) received global acknowledgement as good practices in lifelong learning policy implementation. The briefing papers will be published in full by the end of the year, and we will signpost them through the PASCAL website.