On 2 and 3 October 2023, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) will showcase its work to the public as part of the National German Citizens’ Festival in Hamburg, marking German Unity Day.
Under the theme ‘Diversity, Modernity, and Internationality,’ various governmental bodies, local associations, and international organizations based in Hamburg will share insights into their activities through booths spread across the city centre. Each year, a different region takes a turn hosting the central celebrations for German Unity Day.
Announcing the celebrations, Peter Tschentscher, First Mayor of the UNESCO learning city of Hamburg and President of the Bundesrat, said: “Hamburg is an international hub of progress and diversity. We want to harness the power of these strengths to open up new horizons together. This is our message for German Unity Day, which we are hosting on 2 and 3 October 2023 around Lake Alster. We’re also celebrating the reunification of East and West Germany, which in 1990 also brought the people in the Hamburg metropolitan region back together with our neighbours.”
Established in 1952 in Hamburg, UIL is rooted in the historical context of the post-World War II era for both the city and the nation. At that time, UIL’s aim was to improve relations between people and nations through international understanding and educational research. During its first decades, the geographical emphasis of the Institute was largely focused on Germany and Europe. From the outset, it had made efforts to develop contacts with Eastern European countries and contributed to dialogue between Eastern and Western Europe by providing neutral ground for educational debate. At the 1964 meeting of the UIL Governing Board, a representative of the German Conference of Ministers of Education stated that ‘the Ministers of Education of the Länder wish that the only institute in Germany [UIL] which can maintain East–West contacts should be maintained’.
While the Institute’s scope of influence expanded to the international stage from the 1960s onward, its core commitment to promoting cross-border dialogue on education and learning remained steadfast. Today, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning serves 194 UNESCO Member States. It supports them in developing effective and inclusive lifelong learning policies and systems through building capacity at local and national levels, strengthening partnerships, and offering data and knowledge. The UIL Learning Hub offers online courses for interested stakeholders across the globe. Prominent initiatives by UIL include the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities, the Global Alliance for Literacy, and the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education.
Date and Place
2 and 3 October 2023, 10-18h CEST
UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning Tent
Gerhart Hauptmann Platz
20095 Hamburg, Germany
Further information
German Unity Day Citizens’ Festival
