On December 4, 2024, under the esteemed patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prince Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Eastern Region, inaugurated the sixth International Conference on Learning Cities (ICLC 6) in Jubail Industrial City. The event, which will continue until December 5, 2024, is being hosted by Jubail and organized by the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC). This year's theme, "Learning Cities at the Forefront of Climate Action," emphasizes the vital role of education in addressing climate challenges and fostering sustainable urban development.
During the opening ceremony, Prince Saud highlighted Saudi Arabia's commitment to sustainable education, a crucial tool for enhancing climate resilience and empowering communities to tackle environmental challenges. He reiterated that climate change is no longer a distant threat, but an urgent reality, underscoring the need for collaborative efforts at local, regional, and international levels to create actionable policies for mitigating climate impacts. The conference serves as a platform to explore how education, particularly within learning cities, can build community awareness and equip future generations with the skills necessary to drive climate action.
One of the key moments of the event was the announcement of the 2024 UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities Award winners, with Yanbu Industrial City being recognized as one of the ten global awardees, following Jubail's previous recognition. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning Director Isabell Kempf praised the conference for focusing on the potential of learning cities and lifelong education in supporting climate action. She emphasized that UNESCO’s GNLC, with approximately 400 million citizens engaged in daily educational activities, plays a critical role in shaping a shared future of sustainability and behavioral change.
