Spaces for learning, places for relationships and democratic citizenship in the contemporary city

Abstract

The transformations taking place at global and local level widely affect people’s lives and accelerate the urgency to rethink in an organic way the practices and contexts for lifelong learning as a key to the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2015), through programmes that foster learning in schools, families, and communities. The contribution proposes a reflection on the urgency of rethinking public space as a place of relations and democratic participation, and therefore as a context of continuous quality learning in the perspective of overcoming inequalities in favour of the social and civic redefinition of children and young people as autonomous, empowered and socially active subjects, with important implications in educational practice linked to the territory and local communities. It is considered the Global Network of Learning Cities (UNESCO, 2017) to promote social inclusion, economic growth, public safety, and environmental protection.

Keywords

• Democratic participation
• Learning cities
• Lifelong learning
• Global Network for Learning Cities
• Open School