The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced on December 4 that Hanoi is among 72 new members from 46 countries joining its Global Network of Learning Cities. UNESCO highlighted these cities' commitment to realizing the right to education for all ages and people.

Hanoi is one of 21 new members from the Asia-Pacific region, bringing Vietnam's total membership in the network to six cities.

UNESCO specifically recognized Hanoi's outstanding educational policies and initiatives. These include implementing the "Happy School" model in nearly 3,000 schools, the Cha Ching financial education project for over 7,000 students, and the "Green School - For a Green Hanoi" program.

The city also boasts impressive figures for lifelong learning participation, with over 1,420,000 learning families (more than 67% of the total), 6,900 learning clans (59%), and nearly 4,400 learning residential groups (77%). These statistics demonstrate the widespread adoption of lifelong learning across generations and communities in Hanoi.

Students taking the 10th-grade entrance exam in Hanoi, June 2025. *Photo: Tung Dinh*

Vietnam's first two cities to join the network were Sa Dec (Dong Thap) and Vinh (Nghe An) in 2020. Cao Lanh (Dong Thap) followed in 2022, with TP HCM and Son La joining last year.

Launched in 2013, UNESCO describes the Global Network of Learning Cities as dynamic communities where learning is integrated into daily life. These cities create educational opportunities for everyone, from enhancing workers' skills for evolving job markets and equipping citizens with climate knowledge, to guiding them through the AI era and fostering entrepreneurial thinking.

According to UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany, by embracing lifelong learning as a shared mission, these cities are empowering their citizens and building inclusive, resilient societies prepared for future challenges.

The Global Network of Learning Cities currently comprises 425 members from 91 countries, supporting over 498 million citizens in their pursuit of lifelong learning.

This year's list of new members from Asia also includes Kermanshah (Iran), Ningbo (China), and Gangdong-gu (South Korea). Some countries, such as China, South Korea, and Thailand, have as many as three representatives. The Asia-Pacific region recorded the highest number of new members this year.

*Khanh Linh*