Paris, In a significant expansion of its efforts to foster lifelong learning worldwide, the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) has welcomed 64 new cities from 35 countries. This announcement was made during a high-profile virtual event titled “Empowering Learners of All Ages: UNESCO Learning Cities Transform Lives,” highlighting the organization’s commitment to making lifelong learning accessible to all at the local level.
According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, these cities have been recognized for their exceptional initiatives to promote lifelong learning within their communities. Selection into the GNLC is based on a set of stringent criteria, including a strong commitment to lifelong learning by the city’s mayor and administration, as well as a proven track record of effective practices and policy innovations.
The GNLC serves as a global platform for cities that have successfully integrated lifelong learning into their community development strategies. With the latest additions, the network now boasts 356 member cities, offering a collective population of 390 million people a pathway to education across all stages of life.
This expansion underscores the critical role cities play in transforming the right to education into a tangible reality for individuals of all ages. By sharing resources, knowledge, and best practices, the member cities of the GNLC are setting a global standard for educational development and support, paving the way for a future where everyone has access to the opportunities provided by lifelong learning.
Geneva, United Nations experts have called on the Government of Viet Nam to cease the persecution and mistreatment of human rights defenders following reports that environmental human rights advocate Dang Dinh Bách has initiated his third hunger strike in protest against his detention conditions. The plea underscores grave concerns regarding the safety, well-being, and fair treatment of activists within the country.
According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the experts expressed alarm over the conditions faced by Dang Dinh Bách, a prominent figure in Vietnam’s climate change movement, who has been subjected to discriminatory treatment, attacks, and beatings while in custody. Bách, arrested on 24 June 2021 and later sentenced to five years for “tax evasion,” has become a symbol of the broader challenges confronting peaceful assembly and expression in Viet Nam, particularly regarding public affairs and climate change advocacy.
The UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has labeled Bách’s detention as arbitrary, noting his incommunicado status during pretrial and post-sentencing, prosecution in a closed trial, and limited access to legal representation. Currently held in Prison No. 6 in Nghe An Province, far from his family and under strict conditions reserved for political prisoners, Bách’s situation highlights the deprivation of basic needs, including a vegetarian diet, access to books, hygiene items, hot water, and traditional medicines. Furthermore, his communication with family and legal counsel is severely restricted.
The experts’ statement reflects a broader concern about the use of detention and mistreatment as tools to suppress human rights defenders and civil society members in Viet Nam. They urgently called for the Vietnamese authorities to align Bách’s detention conditions and access to rights with international human rights obligations, stressing the importance of lawful and dignified treatment for all detainees.
The UN has engaged with the Vietnamese government regarding various concerns, including restrictive decrees on foreign aid, the arbitrary arrest of human rights defenders, journalists, and activists, and the ongoing incarceration of individuals like Dang Ding Bach, advocating for reforms and adherence to human rights standards.