The slogan of the 2024 edition of the International Day of the Educating City is: «The Educating City as a laboratory for learning, citizenship, and social transformation”.
We want to highlight that the city itself is a huge classroom and a laboratory for experimentation, experience, and knowledge. A classroom shaped by its streets, squares, parks, and its educational, cultural and sports facilities, all of which are meeting points where human relationships are forged and where we can learn from the diversity of people, cultures and generations, each with its own particularities but all found in the same space. Our cities are also a forum for citizen demands, making it possible to achieve social transformations that are part of their urban history.
As stated in the preamble of the Charter of Educating Cities: «In the Educating City, education transcends the school walls to permeate the entire city. This leads to a citizen-focused education, where all administrations assume their responsibility to educate and transform the city into a space of respect for life and diversity. The Educating City is a permanent process that sets out to build communities and autonomous and supportive citizens, capable of living side by side despite differences, of peacefully solving their conflicts, and of working towards the common good».
And it is precisely with this idea of working towards the common good and educating reflective, responsible and committed citizens that we believe you should celebrate the 2024 International Day of the Educating City, with a view to continuing to transform our cities — through education — into more inclusive places.