Doha: The 2021 UNESCO Learning City Award was granted to the city of Al Wakra for its outstanding progress in providing lifelong learning opportunities for its over 80,000 inhabitants.
The award was announced by UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) on its official Twitter account, coinciding with yesterday's ceremony on Learning City Award 2021 held in Yeonsu, South Korea.
On Twitter, UIL stated: "Congratulations to Al Wakra on winning the 2021 UNESCO Learning City Award for outstanding progress in #lifelonglearning. The city has made lifelong learning a priority as part of its sustainability plan, with a focus on vulnerable groups."
The award also highlighted Al Wakra's sustainability, its pioneering education sector and commitment to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), priority on the environment, its work on widening access to learning as well as its focus on the most vulnerable groups of the society as it continues "to strengthen its policies and programmes in order to give enable everyone the chance to learn."
The ten cities which were honoured in this year's Learing City Award were selected by UIL, on the recommendation of an independent jury of international experts.
The cities awarded include Belfast (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Clermont-Ferrand (France), Damietta (Egypt), Dublin (Ireland), Huejotzingo, (Mexico), Jubail Industrial City (Saudi Arabia), Osan (Republic of Korea), Shanghai (People’s Republic of China), and Wyndham (Australia).
In a statement on its website, UIL said that "whether they are megacities or smaller urban areas, all of the awardees have shown how learning opportunities empower citizens of all ages when suitable policies and programmes are put in place."
