YAOUNDE, Cameroon (BG) – Bouake, the second-largest city in Ivory Coast, has been honored with the UNESCO Learning City Award 2024 for its commitment to lifelong learning and sustainable development.

With a population of over 700,000, Bouake is located in the central part of Ivory Coast (West Africa), about 50 kilometres northeast of Lake Kossou, the country’s largest lake.

The city has focused on integrating education into its policies while fostering partnerships at both national and international levels.

One standout initiative is a women’s empowerment program, providing over 450 women with loans and training to boost economic independence.

Bouake has also established the Green Economy Promotion Network, training 500 young people in urban agroecology and circular economy skills.

The Sustainable City project, co-financed by the European Union, has empowered hundreds of youth through free learning programs and climate education initiatives.

It emphasizes environmental awareness, benefiting thousands of households and businesses.

Bouake’s initiatives demonstrate the potential of collective action to address inequality, promote green development, and achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The UNESCO Learning City Award highlights how Bouake’s holistic approach to education has led to notable social, economic, and environmental progress.

International Partnerships

Amadou Kone, Mayor of Bouake was quoted by UNESCO as saying: “The initiatives undertaken by Bouaké open up promising prospects for the promotion of education and international cooperation.”

“Investment in projects such as Bouaké Ville Durable (Sustainable City) creates a solid foundation for the inclusive development of the community,” Kone said. The city aims to position itself as a leader in education for climate action.

He added, “International partnerships offer opportunities for exchange and mutual growth, positioning Bouaké as a regional and international leader in promoting education for climate action.”

The UNESCO learning city of Bouake demonstrates how education can drive social, economic, and environmental progress.

Other Awardees

On Monday, ten cities were awarded the UNESCO Learning City Award 2024 for their outstanding achievements in promoting lifelong learning during the opening of the Sixth International Conference on Learning Cities in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

The ten UNESCO Learning City Awardees are:

• Benguerir, Morocco
• Bouake, Ivory Coast
• Cork, Ireland
• Cuenca, Ecuador
• Doha, Qatar
• Eunpyeong-gu, Republic of Korea
• Glasgow, United Kingdom
• Queretaro, Mexico
• Wuhan, China
• Yanbu Industrial City, Saudi Arabia

The UNESCO Learning City Award was established to recognize and showcase good practices in promoting quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all at the local level.

This triennial award is presented to cities in each of the five UNESCO regions that have demonstrated significant progress in learning city development by implementing the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities guiding documents.

Only member cities of the UNESCO GNLC are eligible to apply for the UNESCO Learning City Award, which is valid for one award cycle.