The All Ireland Network of Learning Cities

Members of the All Ireland Learning City Network include Limerick, Dublin, Belfast, Derry and Cork to date. In 2019 the Mayors of each of these cities signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding committing them to work together as Learning Cities, support each other and share information Formed originally in Cork in November 2018, the Irish Network of Learning Cities is an allisland network for support, inspiration, knowhow and sharing good practice, based on the principles of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities Progress The Network has been meeting quarterly, each city hosting in turn, with the next network meeting planned for Cork during Lifelong Learning Festival week. Belfast will hold their Learning Festival in late March, and DerryStrabane are planning their first Learning Festival in May.

The European and North American Network of Learning Cities At a meeting in Cork in April 2019 attended by UNESCO, cities from across the UN Region of Europe and North America formed a Network for support, inspiration, know-how and sharing good practice, based on the principles of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. It includes a focus of support and mentoring of US cities and institutions committed to implementing UNESCO Learning Cities policies and practice at a time when the USA is outside UNESCO membership. Progress In Nov 2019, Lowell in Massachusetts USA hosted the first Learning City Seminar in North America, with input from European Learning Cities. The US members of the Network have been communicating with Lowell who plan to hold their 3rd Learning Festival in May. South Bend City in Indiana are planning to launch their new technology based Lifelong Learning initiative in June

UNESCO policy framework for Learning City Networks Both Networks are committed to the implementation of UNESCO Learning City policies, in particular: • The Beijing Declaration on Learning Cities, and the Mexico Statement on Building Sustainable Learning Cities, and the Medellin Manifesto on Learning Cities; • The Cork Call to Action on Learning Cities: • To implement lifelong learning strategies pertaining to the social, environmental and economic dimensions of the SDGs that promote: • Equitable and inclusive learning and living environments; • Green and Healthy learning and living environments; • Opportunities for decent work and entrepreneurship; • The UNESCO Key Features of Learning Cities: • To effectively mobilize resources in every sector to: • Promote inclusive learning from basic to higher education; • Revitalize learning in families and communities; • Facilitate learning for and in the workplace; • Extend the use of modern learning technologies; • Enhance quality and excellence in learning, and • Foster a culture of learning throughout life. of 3rd UNESCO International Conference on Learning Cities 2017