Lifelong learning as a response to economic and social deprivation in Gelsenkirchen
The initiative of transforming Gelsenkirchen from an industrial hub into a learning city was implemented as an attempt to revive a city suffering from high unemployment rates that had reached 15 per cent by 2016.
In 1998, after careful consideration of the current situation, aGEnda 21 was initiated to increase the city’s sustainability and incorporate new learning strategies that would improve the quality of life.
Since 2008, efficient measures have been implemented to promote lifelong learning based on education for sustainable development (ESD). In 2016, more than 120 businesses, institutions and organizations signed a Joint Declaration on Learning as a confirmation of commitment to the development of the city and the community.