What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country, for example)?
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.
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
Since launching aGEnda 21, Gelsenkirchen has implemented various projects for sustainable development, focusing on economic, social and environmental aspects (Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 2021). The AGEnda 21 initiative has involved both public and private sectors in the development strategy.
Informal learning activities are held out of school to widen the opportunities for youth and children. An example of such activities is KreativWerkstatt (Creative Workshop), which aims to develop creative thinking and increase environmental awareness. Another initiative to support sustainable development is Kolleg21 which provides specific trainings on sustainability and urban issues.
In 2015, Gelsenkirchen entered the Zukunftsstadt 2030+ competition organized by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Entering the competition enabled the launch and testing of new activities and projects. The increased participation of the local community in the sustainable learning programme eventually led to the signing of a Joint Declaration on Learning in 2016. After expanding the involvement of the stakeholders, the initiative focused on utilizing resources and creating more spaces and opportunities for learning. For instance, Biomassenpark Hugo, a former coal mine converted into a park, serves as a green and educational space incorporating education for sustainable development (ESD) features such as the ESD Learning Trail. The city has also implemented non-formal projects and activities to promote learning and attract potential learners, holding events such as biking, picnics, youth forest conferences, and other celebratory events (UIL, 2017).
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
The initiative focuses on creating a coordinated structure with the involvement of all stakeholders. The aGEnda 21 Office plays a key role in the learning city project. It organizes projects focusing on youth and children, lifestyle and consumption and ecology and nature.
Citizens, businesses and associations of the city are also engaged in the project; in 2016, a joint declaration was signed by 120 key actors. The project is coordinated at a regional level as well, partnering with Bottrop, which is the ‘Innovation city’, and Essen, ‘European Green Capital’, to exchange knowledge and competencies (UIL, 2017).
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Whom does it benefit and how?
Many projects and activities for sustainable development focus on youth and children, including out-of-school extracurricular activities and participatory activities designed to develop creativity and critical thinking. Other projects, such as Kolleg21, concentrate on teenagers and young adults, sharing practical knowledge and developing skills necessary for incorporating a sustainable lifestyle.
Since the launch of KreativWerkstatt in 2007, around 4,500 young people have taken an interest in the project, participating in stimulating activities that focus on improving imagination and creativity. The project is free of charge, offering equal opportunities to youth of all backgrounds to participate in various organized activities in youth centres across the city (UIL, 2017). Young people may participate in activities as learners and as active contributors to some projects, such as Youth Involvement Working Group, or write for the youth newspaper, which fosters a sense of responsibility and promotes their active engagement in city development (Federal Ministry of Education and Research, n.d).
The city demonstrates a high level of civic engagement in decision-making processes, a major achievement illustrating residents' increasing interest and commitment to developing a learning community. Citizens’ commitment to the cause is also highlighted by an increasing number of young learners joining projects and participating in activities designed to improve the community.
Promotion of educational opportunities for all residents regardless of social and economic background results from citizens’ demand for accessibility of learning. The urgent need for increasing employment level called for training designed to develop necessary skills that could be utilized to create new workplaces and narrow the gap between the community's needs and the opportunities open to its members.
Gelsenkirchen has received multiple awards for its learning initiatives, including the German Sustainability Award, a national prize for ESD, and the UNESCO Global Action Programme on ESD in Germany, awarded in 2016. The city has also been awarded the UN Decade of ESD award for communes four times since 2010. In addition to significant prizes, smaller initiatives have also been noticed and awarded wide respect. Its passionate commitment to the cause and its rapid development has improved the city’s reputation and image in Germany, attracting businesses and new residents to the area (UIL, 2017).
References
Agenda21.info, n.d. It’s a long way from Rio de Janeiro... to Gelsenkirchen. [Online] Available at: www.agenda21.info/english/start.htm [Accessed 6 February 2021].
Federal Ministry of Education and Research, n.d. Education for Sustainable Development. [Online] Available at: www.bne-portal.de [Accessed 26 July 2021].
Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 2021. Gelsenkirchen − A Learning City. [Online]
Available at: www.bne-portal.de/en/gelsenkirchen-a-learning-city-1881.html [Accessed 6 February 2021].
UIL, 2017. Unlocking the potential of urban communities. Volume II: Case studies of sixteen learning cities. [Online] Available at: https://uil.unesco.org/lifelong-learning/learning-cities/unlocking-potential-urban-communities-volume-ii-case-studies [Accessed 6 February 2021].