Lithuanian city Kaunas has received international award

The second biggest Lithuanian city Kaunas has received yet another international award – it was added to the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities. The news has reached the city from the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO.

According to the announcement by the Kaunas municipality, Kaunas has become a member of the Network of Learning Cities. This status will undoubtedly allow to strengthen its image as an innovative and modern city.

“It is a huge recognition and offers great opportunities we must use. But it is also a commitment. We should understand that a city is not only the buildings, streets or infrastructure. First of all, a city is its people and its community on which depends if the city moves forward. Constant development of its citizens is the core of the learning city”, stressed Kaunas Council member Associate Professor Dr. Visvaldas Varžinskas who is responsible for this project.

According to Varžinskas, when organizing various community activities constant learning process is taking place, that is learning from others experience. Various networks are being created such as the non-formal learning of children and youth, and expert networks from different fields according to their interests and age. For example, the University of the Third Age.

As an active member of the Network, Kaunas will gain the right to rank among other applicant cities willing to organize the annual conferences and forums of UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities.

Such events attract over five hundred guests from all over the world and they allow the cities to present themselves at the international scale as innovative and modern cities. At the same time it is an opportunity for Kaunas to strengthen its position in the international markets in order to attract more foreign investment.