Realizing the right to lifelong learningPat FitzsimonsA learning champion from the UNESCO learning city of Dublin
A bad start into school life
On his
first day of school, Pat Fitzsimons from Dublin, Ireland, was bullied.
From that moment on, he did not like school. He struggled through it until he could finally leave at the age of 15, lacking even basic skills.
From that moment on, he did not like school. He struggled through it until he could finally leave at the age of 15, lacking even basic skills.
I wasn't a great student at all
Getting by
After leaving school, Pat was employed at a knitwear factory before working on a building site. His supervisors noticed his potential and offered him an apprenticeship to become a plasterer.
As a plasterer, he earned enough money to get by. But even then, it bothered him that he was not able to read and write.
One in six adults in the Republic of Ireland do not have basic literacy skills. Pat was one of them.
As a plasterer, he earned enough money to get by. But even then, it bothered him that he was not able to read and write.
One in six adults in the Republic of Ireland do not have basic literacy skills. Pat was one of them.
I couldn't read and I couldn't write.
Focusing on talent
When Pat found he could no longer work in construction, he knew he had to take action.
He slowly learned to read and turned to something he had always been good at: the arts.
Nightly art classes were the re-entry point to his education journey. His teacher, Karen, spotted Pat’s talent and encouraged him to go to art college.
He slowly learned to read and turned to something he had always been good at: the arts.
Nightly art classes were the re-entry point to his education journey. His teacher, Karen, spotted Pat’s talent and encouraged him to go to art college.
College is not for me.
Excelling at art college
Empowered by Karen, Pat went to the Institute of Design and Technology in Dublin where a great team of teachers encouraged him further to pursue his learning journey.
Being on a low income, he applied for financial support. College staff helped Pat fill out forms and apply for a grant.
The grant provided him with the economic means to concentrate on his studies, in which he excelled: a learning experience altogether different from that of his school years.
After four years of hard work, the day of graduation came.
Being on a low income, he applied for financial support. College staff helped Pat fill out forms and apply for a grant.
The grant provided him with the economic means to concentrate on his studies, in which he excelled: a learning experience altogether different from that of his school years.
After four years of hard work, the day of graduation came.
They made me believe in myself.
Dublin Learning City Champion
Now 60 years of age, Pat was recently selected as a Dublin Learning City Champion and was awarded a certificate of achievement by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy.
The learning opportunities provided to Pat by the UNESCO learning city of Dublin have changed his life. The right to education across all ages became a reality for him.
The learning opportunities provided to Pat by the UNESCO learning city of Dublin have changed his life. The right to education across all ages became a reality for him.
The UNESCO Learning City of DublinRepublic of Ireland
The UNESCO learning city of Dublin's programmes aim at providing lifelong learning opportunities for everyone. The right to education is truly realized for young and old citizens of Dublin.
The UNESCO learning city empowers and enables citizens to learn, regardless of age or cultural background, in traditional and non-traditional settings.
It promotes and celebrates lifelong learning for every person, family and community. It elevates the voice of the learner by promoting policy dialogue, fostering partnerships and providing capacity development, locally, nationally and internationally. And it integrates and supports strategies on education for sustainable development, alongside initiatives and policies linked to learning for health and wellbeing, equity and inclusion, and entrepreneurship.
Learn more https://dublinlearningcity.ie/
The UNESCO learning city empowers and enables citizens to learn, regardless of age or cultural background, in traditional and non-traditional settings.
It promotes and celebrates lifelong learning for every person, family and community. It elevates the voice of the learner by promoting policy dialogue, fostering partnerships and providing capacity development, locally, nationally and internationally. And it integrates and supports strategies on education for sustainable development, alongside initiatives and policies linked to learning for health and wellbeing, equity and inclusion, and entrepreneurship.
Learn more https://dublinlearningcity.ie/
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) supports and improves the practice of lifelong learning in member cities by promoting policy dialogue and peer learning, documenting effective strategies and good practice, fostering partnerships, providing capacity development, and developing tools and instruments to design, implement and monitor learning cities strategies.
UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
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Pat Fitzsimons
A bad start into school life
I wasn't a great student at all
Getting by
I couldn't read and I couldn't write.
Focusing on talent
College is not for me.
Excelling at art college
They made me believe in myself.
Dublin Learning City Champion
The UNESCO Learning City of Dublin
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities