experience 
assemblies, awareness campaigns on diverse 
“Youth Alternative”, a school cooperative in subjects, etc. In order to strengthen relations 
between students, families and the school, 
the city of General Alvear films are screened, and there are games, 
informal talks, musical activities, community 
The Argentinean city of General Alvear, capital and was conceived as a way of encouraging meals, etc. Youth also carry out a weekly radio 
of the Department with the same name, with students from 12 to 19 years old to participate program which publicizes the activities of the 
48,000 inhabitants, is characterized for in the education process, giving them a school and the cooperative and discusses 
being home to numerous and very diverse leading role and offering them a new learning school cooperativism. Moreover, in order to 
cooperatives. An example of this is that it alternative through cooperative education. share experiences and strengthen ties, “Youth 
hosts the first Cooperative University in the Alternative” organizes annually the Provincial 
country. To do this, a teaching team was assembled, Meeting of Secondary Schools Cooperatives. 
which was advise d by  a  special ist  in  
The 4-220 Nicolás Luna public secondary cooperativism. Following this, the idea was This experience, which began in 2009, is now 
school posed the idea of creating a school spread amongst the students, and the first in the consolidation phase, with 52% of the 
cooperative to confront the lack of interest of activities were carried out to raise funds. An students associated to the cooperative. It has 
students in the learning path proposal and the Executive Board managed by the students contributed on the part of these young people 
little feeling of belonging to their school, as was created, with the support of teachers and to generating a feeling of belonging to the 
well as the lack of initiative, the excessive free families. For its part the City Council offers school and to encouraging their participation, 
time and the high rate of truancy. them guidance and advice, and is in charge improving their relationship with the school. 
of promoting the initiative nationally and Thus, students who before did not know what 
This initiative arose from this situation, internationally. to do with their free time, are now involved 
in the different activities organized by the 
Amongst many other activities, the young cooperative. Teamwork, companionship, and 
people manage and organize the bookstore, one’s own effort are now shared values. 
“Youth Alte rnative ”, a the photocopier and the kiosk. They raise 
school cooperative as a way funds through different endeavours, such Presented by:  City Council of General Alvear, 
as the manufacture of bags using recycled Direction of International Cooperation 
of encouraging teamwork, clothing, raffles or sales of food prepared by Contact: Ms. Carina Lucero 
mutual aid, one’s own effort the students. They organize field trips, sports e-mail: coopinternacional@alvearmendoza.gob.ar  
tournaments, solidarity actions, single-issue 
and solidarity. 
editorial 
Last March we held our annual Assembly in programme for the holding of the Assembly, existing territorial networks and the creation of 
the city of Granollers. Despite the fact that the which in addition to the necessary statutory new ones, or the promotion of the Association 
small and medium-sized cities represent nearly issues, also included dialogues with Mayors, in Africa. Without doubt, the advances in the 
68% of the total of the members of the IAEC, experts and academics, and a varied programme fulfilment of this ambitious Action Plan will 
this was the first time that a town of these of study visits and cultural performances.  require the involvement of each and every one 
dimensions hosted the Assembly. Little by little, of the member cities. 
the international institutions are increasingly In this Assembly it remained clear that 2017 will 
recognising the importance of small and be a year full of challenges and new possibilities, Perhaps one of the main lessons learnt by the 
medium-sized cities in the urban planning as the approved Action Plan highlights. This nearly 70 cities from 11 countries who met 
process, as well as their contribution towards Plan, among many other actions, includes: up in Granollers, after sharing a day and a half 
a more sustainable and balanced growth. The the joint celebration of the second edition of of intense activity, can be summed up well in 
IAEC has been long promoting this recognition the International Day of the Educating City (on a quote by the Deputy Mayor of Education, 
thus we celebrate it.  30th November); advice and training for new Francesc Arolas, paraphrasing the Uruguayan 
member cities as well as the new municipal journalist and writer Eduardo Galeano: “Many 
Although it could be said that demographically teams as a result of the electoral processes; small people, in small places, doing small things, 
Granollers is a small town in terms of its the call for the second edition of the Educating can change the world”.  
dimensions, for the IAEC it is, without doubt, a City Award; the production of guidelines for 
major town in terms of its public policies, made promoting the Educating Cities Label on IAEC Secretariat 
with and for the people, for knowing how to put member cities’ initiatives; the organisation c/ Avinyó 15, 4th floor 
into practice the Charter of Educating Cities, of study visits to pioneering experiences; the 08002 Barcelona (Spain) 
and for being a very active town in the heart of publication of the 6th monographic volume Ph. + 34 93 342 77 20 
the organisation. of the Association; the preparation of the Fax. +34 93 342 77 29 
 15th International Congress that will be held E-mail: bidce@bcn.cat 
Granollers prepared a complete and attractive in Cascais in 2018; the strengthening of the 
did you know that...

 Mayors of 142 cities from 18 countries  Paredes hosted the National Meeting of the  The IAEC was invited to join the Organising 
joined voices in celebrating the International Portuguese Network on 29th January in which Committee of the World Forum “Urba n 
Day of the Educating City; the celebration representatives from 39 cities participated. Violence and Education for Coexistence and 
count ed with the suppor t of UN-Habitat, Furthermore, the Network is preparing the Peace” that took place in Madrid from 19th to 
UCLG, Metropolis, ICLEI and Mercociudades as 7th  National Congress which will take place in 21st April. Experiences from various cities of 
well as internationally well-known experts. Guarda from 25th  to 27th  May. Identity will be the IAEC were presented in this event. More 
the topic which will orientate the discussions information at https://capitaldepaz.madrid.es/ 
and works of the congress.
 The IAEC participated in the United Cities 
and Local Governments Retreat held in 
Barcelona from 20th to 24th February and in 
which representatives from national and regional 
local governments associations took part.
 The  8th Meeting of the Asia-Pacific 
Network  will ta ke place  in Su se ong-gu 
 Godoy Cruz hosted the 2nd Meeting of (Korean Republic) on 14th and 15th September 
Argentine Educating Cities that took place on 2017 and will be focused on Education for 
14th December 2016. The participating cities global citizenship. The theme of the Meeting 
agreed to start procedures for the creation of was agreed in a meeting of the Asia-Pacific 
an Argentine Network. Network held in Changwon on February 27th.    © UCLG 
 A new video produced together with the 
UCLG, about the contribution of the local 
governments to the Sustainable Development 
Goal 4 of the United Nations : “Ensure 
inclusive and quality education for all and 
promote lifelong learning” is now available. 
You can consult the video in our YouTube 
channel: www.youtube.com/educatingcities 
02 Educating Cities 
interview 
Mr. Celso Ferreira 
Mayor of Paredes, Portugal 
In 2006, the City Council of Paredes decided which opted for design in order to add value to 
to take action in the area of education. the furniture made in Paredes. 
Why? 
The initiative has been a success and has 
When we decided to launch the Paredes received the RegioStars prize of the European 
Education Charter, education was in poor Commission for the best European project 
shape in the city. In 2006 we ranked ninth of 2014. Work is being done along the line 
from the bottom in the country in terms of of increasing brand recognition of furniture 
educational performance, and today we are manufactured in Paredes, with our sites 
amongst the top. We had a school drop-out naturally set on export, but also on the city. 
rate of 43%, which is now practically zero. The project ensures that all the community 
In the last year all our schools scored, for is involved, and, in particular, young people, 
the first time, above the country’s average in in order to reinforce the awareness of the 
national exams. importance for the local economy of a sector 
that directly or indirectly employs around 50% 
How was it possible that of all the political of the city’s population. This is a project that 
forces reached agreement in respect of is still ongoing, but the results so far achieved 
education issues? have exceeded our expectations. 
We had a broad debate in the entire city, Paredes has a business network that is 
which culminated in the largest meeting of the sensitive to social issues. Can you give 
Municipal Assembly of Paredes in its history. us another example of the collaboration 
By nature, people are resistant to change, a collaboration agreement with the Business agreements between companies and the 
however this was a clear and very democratic Association for Social Inclusion (EPIS, City Council? 
process and practically all the residents finally original initials) in order to fight against 
accepted the advantages of the project. school drop-out and failure at school. What Th ere  has been major invo lve ment  of   
Measures were adopted that completely have been the results of this joint work? companies in Paredes in terms of corporate 
broke with the past. It was a decision reached social responsibility. Of special note, for 
amongst practically all the parties represented We tried to involve the entire community, example, is the project “A Factory for Timor”, 
in the Paredes Municipal Assembly. by also calling on families and companies to an initiative of diplomatic solidarity launched 
get involved. Paredes was the first city in the by the City Council of Paredes that sprung 
The construction of new schools was an country to join an initiative of the Presidency from an invitation to furniture factories in the 
important part of the changes made ... of the Republic in fighting school drop- city to donate machinery in good condition for 
out and failure, establishing collaboration the creation of the first furniture factory in 
Th e ent ire Paredes  sc hool sy st em was  with the EPIS Association to implement East Timor. We want to replicate this project in 
rethought and the paradigm of schooling family programs, through which a network Mozambique and we are in negotiations with 
was changed. Modern, well-prepared and of me d i a t or s wor k s in  tr ai n i n g  fam i l i e s , Guinea-Bissau as well. Companies in Paredes 
equipped schools, with gyms, libraries and achieving, as mentioned before, remarkable are deeply involved in the development of 
lunchrooms were motivating factors.  results in the fight against school drop-out the communities where their businesses are 
and failure. The objective was to help families located, which is the way of strengthening 
What uses were given to the old school better understand their children, as well as their commitment to their workers. 
buildings? the challenges that the schools issue. 
Cities learn, collaborate and are inspired 
Paredes is one of the most dynamic cities in Paredes has a great tradition in the by each other. Does Paredes share projects 
Portugal regarding the association movement. wooden furniture industry, generating with other cities? 
The 64 schools that were closed as a result of 60% of domestic furniture production. 
the implementation of the Education Charter What programs have been carried out to In the area of international relations, the City 
became a source of opportunities for many encourage the continuation of this tradition Council of Paredes is carrying out various 
cultural and leisure associations and for amongst young people? projects with different foreign cities. We 
Social Solidarity Institutions. Some became collaborate in areas as different as culture, 
elderly day centres, others became cultural Paredes is a centre of excellence for furniture industry, administrative modernisation and 
centres, elderly residences, a barracks for production, with factories equipped with the city development. Cooperating is important 
the National Republican Guard... Thus, the most innovative and modern technological because we all grow by learning from the work 
Education Charter also contributed to making advances. There was, however, something of other cities. 
improvements in this sector. missing in the value scale: design. In order to 
help overcome this lack, the City Council of 
More information at www.edcities.org 
In 2007, the City Council of Paredes signed Paredes launched the project Art on Chairs, 
03 Educating Cities 
From an industrial dormitory- 
city to a city of opportunities, 
experience thanks to the participation 
of its citizens in improving 
Building the best neighbourhood
  the quality of life of the 
municipality. 
in Changwon 
Changwon was built in 1973 as part of a Re s ident s ,  w i th  the suppor  t  of  loca l  
large-scale program of economic expansion professionals, neighbourhood leaders, social 
carried out by the government of the Korean entities and the local government, identify 
Republic, and since then it has not stopped the problems of their neighbourhood and put 
growing. It is the only planned city in the forward and design possible solutions. To do 
country to be a residential and industrial this, participants receive specific training. 
complex. In 2010 two bordering cities were 
annexed to it, Masan and Jinhae, bringing The proposals are presented to the City 
together more than one million inhabitants.  Council, which, from amongst all the projects, 
decides on the actions to implement and 
The fast economic and industrial growth that provides the funding. An executive committee, 
the city went through led to an increase in made up of representatives of the citizenry 
urban waste and CO  emissions from factories, and entities that join the initiative, leads and 
2 
private vehicles, as well as the contamination manages the Program. 
of the water in the Sincheon River, due to the 
industrial waste dumped into the river and The planting of almost 4 million trees, the 
the waste generated by the population itself, publicity of best practices for the sustainable 
significantly damaging the local natural eco- use of electricity and water in the home, 
system. aw ar e n es s  ca mp a ig ns on  the  nega ti ve   
effects of consumerism, the organization 
On the other hand, the fact that 90% of of second-hand markets to foster the re-
the population was from other parts of the use of things, the pacification of streets, 
country, meant that the citizenry did not feel the recycling of waste, amongst many other cultural activities, or the installation of mini 
much attached to their neighbourhoods. actions, have contributed to notably reducing libraries in the parks made by the residents 
CO  emission levels in the city, lowering the themselves. 
2
In response to this situation and in order to average summer temperature between 3 
make the city a healthier and more sustainable and 7 degrees. At the same time, thanks to Changwon is now a municipality characterized 
place that would be pleasant to live in, the City the project the water quality of the river has for its friendliness and vitality, committed to 
Council of Changwon in 2008 made a political increased, going from level 3 (not suitable for encouraging a feeling of belonging to the city 
commitment to become a World Environmental wild animal life) to level 1. among its residents and improving the quality 
Capital by 2020. As part of this policy the of life of its neighbourhoods, thanks to citizen 
“Building a better neighbourhood” program Other actions carried out in order to foster participation. 
was created, which is characterized by its local culture and traditions are, for example, 
two-pronged objective: to give the citizens  a the transformation of a street into a space Presented by: City Council of Changwon, 
leading role in the design and development of for art, with murals on the walls done by Department of Education 
actions to improve the quality of life of their local artists, which attracts the attention of Contact: Ms. Eunjae Shin 
neighbourhoods and to generate a feeling of both local population and visitors, as well as e-mail: ejshin2848@korea.kr  
belonging to the same. the renovation of small museums for various 
04 Educating Cities 
D.L.: B-31.664-2007 / ISSN: 1887-9640