Quezon City has earned international recognition after being designated as one of 72 newly added cities to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC).

The inclusion affirms the city’s sustained efforts to promote inclusive and equitable education, from basic to higher education, while nurturing a culture of lifelong learning across communities.

UNESCO cited Quezon City’s wide-ranging initiatives, including strengthened support for public schools, expanded scholarship and tutoring programs, accessible public libraries, learning and development initiatives for various sectors, health and life skills education, and vibrant cultural and civic activities that encourage learning beyond the classroom.

Mayor Joy Belmonte welcomed the recognition, describing it as a testament to the city’s long-term investment in education and human development.

“In Quezon City, we believe that learning is not confined to classrooms alone. It happens across everyday spaces and throughout all stages of life, which is why we work to ensure that wherever our QCitizens are, they have equitable opportunities to develop their full potential,” Belmonte said.

She added that the city stands with UNESCO in promoting inclusive, high-quality education as a cornerstone of empowerment, social cohesion, and sustainable development.

“We stand with UNESCO in the belief that inclusive, excellent, and high-quality learning helps create and reinforce individual empowerment and social cohesion, alongside economic and cultural prosperity, forming the foundation for sustainable development,” the mayor stressed.

Since 2019, the city government has significantly increased its investment in education, implementing system-wide support for public schools and learners. This includes the provision of learning materials, classroom equipment, and information and communications technology (ICT) resources across all public schools.

The local government has also expanded tutoring services, scholarship programs, language and skills training, and other lifelong learning initiatives aimed at improving access, equity, and overall learning outcomes at every stage of education.

For its part, the Quezon City Council pledged to institutionalize and sustain these gains.

“We see it as our responsibility in the City Council to pass measures that expand educational access for our QCitizens. We acknowledge that it is through institutionalizing education programs that they can access better opportunities in the future,” Sotto said.

Medalla echoed the commitment, saying the council will continue to champion ordinances that strengthen quality education and support learning for all sectors.

As a member of the Global Network of Learning Cities, Quezon City will gain access to technical guidance, policy support, and collaboration opportunities with other member cities and experts worldwide to further enhance its lifelong learning programs.

The UNESCO GNLC now counts 425 member cities across 91 countries.