© UNESCO
The Arab Towns Organisation ATO, is an apolitical, non-religious and non-governmental organisation. It was founded in 1976 and it now has a membership of more than 400 towns and cities in the Arab Region.
The 16th General Conference of ATO – with the theme “Cities and the challenges of sustainable development” – was held in Doha from 14 to 16 May 2013 under the patronage of His Highness the Emir of Qatar. The Conference acknowledged the challenges involved in meeting the demand of citizens for social justice, freedom and equality. It highlighted the importance of sustainable development and good governance in cities, and showcased some concrete solutions to meet the pressing need for sustainable development in Arab cities.
In the session on Pro-Poor Urban Development Strategies in the Arab Region, organised by the Arab Institute for Urban Development and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, UIL representative Mr Jin Yang made a presentation on Lifelong Learning and the Development of Learning Cities, which stressed the role of education and learning in inclusive social development, and demonstrated that the development of learning cities has become an effective instrument in promoting lifelong learning for all in the international community.
The participating cities welcomed the ‘learning city’ concept, supporting UIL’s initiative to establish the International Platform for Learning Cities (IPLC) and develop the Key Features of Learning Cities.
