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Photo: Bratislava Convention Bureau

Bratislava was recently inducted into the esteemed UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. To honour the achievement, the city hosted the UNESCO Conference of Learning. Hosted on 18 October 2024 in the Primates Palace, in the Mirror Hall, the conference convened speakers from the European Association for the Education of Adults, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning and the European Universities Continuing Education Network.

The United Nations identified quality education as the key to prosperity, growth and global transformation within the framework of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. In this light, Bratislava is championing quality education by joining the prestigious UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

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Photo: Bratislava Convention Bureau

Bratislava among 356 leading global cities

UNESCO’s global network of learning cities comprises 356 cities from 79 countries worldwide, which support informal educational activities, the concept of lifelong learning, and teaching in families/communities and at the workplace. Inclusion in the UNESCO network of learning cities is a significant success for the city.

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Photo: Bratislava Convention Bureau, Marek Mucha

The event was attended by Samah Shalaby, UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning and Klaudius Šilhár, President of the Association of Adult Education Institutions in the Slovak Republic, who presented the new law on adult education, which should enter into effect in January 2025. Also in attendance was the Deputy Mayor of Bratislava, Jakub Mrva, who gave a short speech. The conference also included networking of relevant actors in the field of adult education and a panel discussion on the role of self-government in supporting lifelong learning.

Learn more about Bratislava and its upcoming events and conferences here.

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Photo: Bratislava Convention Bureau