Representatives from Son La City receive flowers from the organizing committee during the induction ceremony for new members of the UNESCO Global learning cities network.

The ASEAN+3 Learning cities conference aims to strengthen cities’ capacities by fostering knowledge exchange among UNESCO learning cities across Southeast Asia and ASEAN+3 countries. The conference serves as a platform to identify and disseminate best practices from both national and local governments in developing Learning Cities and introducing innovative city-level initiatives. Moreover, the event seeks to establish a sustainable foundation for ongoing dialogue and partnerships among UNESCO Learning Cities and their peers.

The delegation from Son La City at the conference.

This conference has attracted over 200 delegates from Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Republic of Korea. Representing Vietnam’s Global learning cities, the Son La City delegation, led by Ha Trung Chien, Secretary of the Son La City Party Committee and Head of the Son La Global Learning city Steering Committee, delivered an inspiring presentation on the theme “Building learning cities that leave no one behind.” His speech in the parallel session on October 29, 2024, garnered significant attention from the attending delegates.

Mr. Ha Trung Chien presenting at the parallel session.

According to Mr. Ha Trung Chien, Son La was honored to become the fifth Vietnamese city, and the first in a mountainous area, to join UNESCO’s Global learning cities network in February 2024. Despite facing numerous challenges, Son La has committed 34% of its budget to education, demonstrating its vision of prioritizing educational investments as the foundation for economic, cultural, and social development and for enhancing residents’ quality of life.

Since joining the network, Son La City has introduced pioneering initiatives to develop a learning city aligned with UNESCO’s standards. In September 2024, Son La became the first city in Vietnam to launch the “Son La – My beloved global learning city” competition, attracting nearly 300 submissions across categories including art, music, poetry, and solutions for Learning city development, with a strong focus on environmental protection and climate change mitigation.

Son La City highlights its efforts in promoting international cooperation in education and pioneering the Laulau Learning method.

Son La is also actively fostering international integration and cooperation in education. In October 2024, it became the first city in Vietnam to pilot the Laulau Learning method from Finland, an innovative educational approach that emphasizes learning through art and music.

Another notable initiative is Son La’s development of accessible and diverse community learning spaces, including “ The House of wisdom” and “Compassion libraries.” There are now 112 the Houses of Wisdom and Compassion libraries in the city, repurposing existing community centers in local villages. These spaces serve not only as libraries but also as hubs for cultural, sports, and experiential learning activities, encouraging the growth of a sustainable community.

Son La City showcases the success of community learning models like the House of wisdom and Compassion libraries.

Son La is committed to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of its ethnic minorities by encouraging their participation in cultural activities tied to lifelong learning. In 2024, the city established 35 Thai Cultural Clubs to preserve local languages, teach traditional scripts, and revive festivals and traditional attire. These clubs also offer ethnic minorities a space to share knowledge and experiences to improve their quality of life.

The ASEAN+3 Learning Cities Conference will continue through October 30 in Bangkok, featuring lively discussions and numerous cultural and educational exchanges. The conference plays a vital role in strengthening joint efforts among cities driving the global educational agenda and supports related initiatives, such as the 6th international conference on learning cities, to be held in Saudi Arabia.

Son La City delegation exchanges experiences on building a learning city with international peers.

Participation in this conference offers invaluable opportunities for cities in the region to learn from each other’s experiences, gaining insights into promoting lifelong learning and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out in the Education 2030 Agenda – especially SDG 4: Quality Education, and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. This occasion also allows Son La City, representing Vietnam’s Global learning cities, to affirm its role and showcase the contributions that Vietnamese learning cities bring to UNESCO’s Global learning cities network.

At the conference.