This Tuesday, Ruta N hosted the mayors’ meeting to establish Colombia’s Learning Cities Network of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The meeting brought together mayors and delegates from cities that are part of this international initiative, with the aim of strengthening joint efforts and advancing a national network that promotes lifelong learning across territories.
In Colombia, the initiative currently includes nine participating municipalities: Envigado, La Estrella, Bogotá, Manizales, Medellín, Quibdó, Rionegro, Chía, and Tunja.
This national network seeks to coordinate efforts to consolidate smart, inclusive, and sustainable territories, where creativity, science, innovation, and knowledge transfer serve as pillars of development, with learning at the core of social transformation. It also fosters cross-sector dialogue, strengthens local capacities, and contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The UNESCO Learning Cities Network is a global initiative that promotes public policies focused on sustainable development, lifelong learning, and cooperation among cities. Currently, the Global Network brings together 425 cities across 91 countries that share experiences, knowledge, and best practices to ensure the right to education at all stages of life.
For Medellín, as a District of Science, Technology and Innovation, this vision holds special significance. In line with this approach, the Medellín Te Quiere Development Plan projects an investment of COP 1.2 trillion for the consolidation of the Smart School, a strategy that strengthens educational institutions and urban spaces as learning environments that foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking across all ages and contexts.
The event took place in the Ruta N auditorium, which was recently upgraded with state-of-the-art technology to deliver enhanced experiences aligned with international technical standards.