Learning Cities and Learning Regions: local development throughout lifelong learning

The event aims to emphasize the importance of the dissemination of lifelong learning in communities, as a key strategic factor for the economic and social development of a territory, deepening the model of "Learning City", promoted by UNESCO, which currently involves a network of 51 countries in the world and is based on the concept that lifelong learning is a fundamental condition for progress, innovation, civil participation and economic development. The vision of learning cities is to create environments where education and training are closely connected and essential, both economically and socially, in order to ensure that all citizens have the skills and abilities necessary to address changes throughout life (lifelong learning) and in every place and aspect of it (lifewide learning) in an exponentially changing society. The event becomes an opportunity both to present the model set up by UNESCO and the initiatives launched in our region and the collaborations developed with Israel's qualified partners. The Israeli partners will be given space to present - thanks to their top representatives of the project - the initiative that has a national extension and its results. The comparison with other international learning cities will facilitate some reflections on which models of learning cities to pursue and will provide cues for the progressive improvement of policy makers' actions aimed at the development of an inclusive, prosperous and knowledge-based community."