UNESCO Learning City Awardee 2024Yanbu Industrial City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Yanbu Industrial City, situated on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, is a pioneering hub focused on creating a sustainable, knowledge-driven society.
From its inception, the city has dedicated itself to fostering a modern, supportive environment where individuals can thrive in both personal and professional capacities.
The city prioritizes lifelong learning and community empowerment as fundamental pillars of its growth strategy. By investing in both formal and informal education, it aims to elevate the standard of living and develop skilled, resourceful citizens who contribute to sustainable development.
From its inception, the city has dedicated itself to fostering a modern, supportive environment where individuals can thrive in both personal and professional capacities.
The city prioritizes lifelong learning and community empowerment as fundamental pillars of its growth strategy. By investing in both formal and informal education, it aims to elevate the standard of living and develop skilled, resourceful citizens who contribute to sustainable development.
Yanbu’s strategic framework
To meet its lifelong learning goals, Yanbu Industrial City has implemented a strategic framework emphasizing community-wide learning opportunities, safeguarding public health, and fostering safe, innovative spaces.
These pillars are upheld by five specific measurable indicators: enhancing participation related to learning for sustainable development; providing lifelong learning opportunities for everyone; supporting environmental protection and public health programmes; fostering innovative learning environments; and committing to women’s empowerment and unemployment reduction.
Through this framework, Yanbu supports individual advancement while addressing broader community challenges. The city's proactive approach to measuring progress through key performance indicators highlights its dedication to continuous improvement and alignment with the Saudi Vision 2030.
These pillars are upheld by five specific measurable indicators: enhancing participation related to learning for sustainable development; providing lifelong learning opportunities for everyone; supporting environmental protection and public health programmes; fostering innovative learning environments; and committing to women’s empowerment and unemployment reduction.
Through this framework, Yanbu supports individual advancement while addressing broader community challenges. The city's proactive approach to measuring progress through key performance indicators highlights its dedication to continuous improvement and alignment with the Saudi Vision 2030.
Eng. AbdulHadi A Al Juhani Chief Executive Officer, Royal Commission of Yanbu
An innovative learning initiative: Maharati (Skills)
At the heart of Yanbu's educational efforts is the Maharati (Skills) Learning Initiative, a broad programme aimed at cultivating essential life skills and providing equal access to learning opportunities.
This initiative is designed to cater to various demographics within the community, offering training in critical areas such as emergency preparedness, public health, traffic safety, and marketing fundamentals.
The Advanced Maharati Programme, under this initiative, serves as a central component, empowering 256 community members with lifelong skills that enhance daily life and foster civic engagement.
By involving participants in courses on volunteer work, first aid, and other community-oriented skills, Yanbu Industrial City reinforces the concept that each person is both a learner and a contributor to societal progress.
This initiative is designed to cater to various demographics within the community, offering training in critical areas such as emergency preparedness, public health, traffic safety, and marketing fundamentals.
The Advanced Maharati Programme, under this initiative, serves as a central component, empowering 256 community members with lifelong skills that enhance daily life and foster civic engagement.
By involving participants in courses on volunteer work, first aid, and other community-oriented skills, Yanbu Industrial City reinforces the concept that each person is both a learner and a contributor to societal progress.
Extracurricular and Enrichment ProgramsTariq AlAmriEducator at in Ibn AlJawzi School for Gifted Students
Yanbu Industrial City offers a range of specialized programs focusing on sciences and enrichment skills outside regular school hours and during summer vacations. These programs aim to address students' educational and enrichment needs by providing training courses in various fields, including English language, culture, mathematics, sciences, artificial intelligence, and fine arts.
Empowering readers through ‘Literature Everywhere’
Yanbu Industrial City promotes literacy and reading through initiatives like “Literature Everywhere,” which has introduced electronic devices and signboards across the city for easy access to literature.
Partnering with the Ministry of Culture, Yanbu Industrial City has expanded reading access by providing digital devices featuring short stories, reaching over 16,940 readers in 2023.
Alongside this, the city’s digital platform Al-Maarifah facilitates book access and expertise sharing. Through these efforts, Yanbu Industrial City embeds a culture of continuous learning and supports residents in becoming informed, engaged citizens.
Partnering with the Ministry of Culture, Yanbu Industrial City has expanded reading access by providing digital devices featuring short stories, reaching over 16,940 readers in 2023.
Alongside this, the city’s digital platform Al-Maarifah facilitates book access and expertise sharing. Through these efforts, Yanbu Industrial City embeds a culture of continuous learning and supports residents in becoming informed, engaged citizens.
Educational inclusion and support for people with disabilities
Yanbu Industrial City’s Special Education Maharati Programme provides services for students with disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, ADHD, and motor impairments, among others.
These services encompass assessment, therapeutic support, and a full inclusion programme to integrate students with disabilities into mainstream education.
Additional facilities provide specialized training in independent living and occupational skills, while the Family Counselling and Guidance Programme offers psychological support and guidance to families.
These services encompass assessment, therapeutic support, and a full inclusion programme to integrate students with disabilities into mainstream education.
Additional facilities provide specialized training in independent living and occupational skills, while the Family Counselling and Guidance Programme offers psychological support and guidance to families.
Teacher training and digital education
Recognizing the importance of teacher development, Yanbu Industrial City launched the Bare’a Initiative for Digital Training, a programme designed to enhance the skills of educators through remote learning. This initiative offers 62 courses that cover essential teaching strategies, educational tools, and professional self-development.
By providing these resources online, Yanbu Industrial City makes professional development accessible to all teachers and administrators, encouraging them to adopt new teaching methods that enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. With over 4,355 course enrolments and a high completion rate, the initiative demonstrates Yanbu’s commitment to high-quality, adaptable education.
The digital training platform also emphasizes continuous skill-building for educators, allowing them to keep pace with advancements in educational technology and best practices.
By providing these resources online, Yanbu Industrial City makes professional development accessible to all teachers and administrators, encouraging them to adopt new teaching methods that enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. With over 4,355 course enrolments and a high completion rate, the initiative demonstrates Yanbu’s commitment to high-quality, adaptable education.
The digital training platform also emphasizes continuous skill-building for educators, allowing them to keep pace with advancements in educational technology and best practices.
Environmental Education and Conservation
Yanbu Industrial City is committed to environmental sustainability, with a focus on environmental education and hands-on conservation efforts.
The city’s Environmental Protection and Monitoring Department actively safeguards its mangrove reserves, a critical part of the local marine ecosystem.
The Royal Commission for Yanbu has designated protected areas to conserve these ecosystems, safeguarding them from industrial development, logging, and overgrazing, thereby contributing to regional and global environmental conservation efforts.
The city’s mangrove conservation campaigns also engage community members to foster environmental awareness and involvement.
By involving schools, universities, and local industries in planting and protecting mangroves, Yanbu Industrial City promotes a culture of sustainability and encourages active participation in environmental stewardship.
The city’s Environmental Protection and Monitoring Department actively safeguards its mangrove reserves, a critical part of the local marine ecosystem.
The Royal Commission for Yanbu has designated protected areas to conserve these ecosystems, safeguarding them from industrial development, logging, and overgrazing, thereby contributing to regional and global environmental conservation efforts.
The city’s mangrove conservation campaigns also engage community members to foster environmental awareness and involvement.
By involving schools, universities, and local industries in planting and protecting mangroves, Yanbu Industrial City promotes a culture of sustainability and encourages active participation in environmental stewardship.
Sulaiman AlghadeyahLearner
Mr. Sulaiman Alghadeyah, a student at Ibn Khaldoon Secondary School shares his experience taking part in the English Language Olympics and the importance of taking part in enrichment activities outside the academic classroom.
Lifelong learning, inclusion, and sustainability
Yanbu Industrial City’s extensive efforts in lifelong learning, inclusion, environmental conservation, and teacher training establish it as a well-deserved winner of the 2024 Learning City Award.
Through its unique blend of initiatives, Yanbu Industrial City has successfully built a community that values knowledge-sharing, social responsibility, and sustainable practices. The city’s progress toward becoming a fully inclusive, knowledge-based society serves as an example for cities worldwide, showcasing how thoughtful urban planning and targeted initiatives can drive meaningful community transformation.
Through its unique blend of initiatives, Yanbu Industrial City has successfully built a community that values knowledge-sharing, social responsibility, and sustainable practices. The city’s progress toward becoming a fully inclusive, knowledge-based society serves as an example for cities worldwide, showcasing how thoughtful urban planning and targeted initiatives can drive meaningful community transformation.
The UNESCO Learning City Awards
The UNESCO Learning City Award was established to further promote lifelong learning for all and showcase good practices in building learning cities. It is conferred on cities that have achieved outstanding progress in this regard. All awardee cities have demonstrated best practices that lay the foundation for sustainable development.
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
© Yanbu Industrial City; Ahmed Hamdy Hassan / Shutterstock.com; fizkes / Shutterstock.com; Zurijeta / Shutterstock.com; creative_express / Shutterstock.com; Getty Images Pro / Stock Good
UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities
© Yanbu Industrial City; Ahmed Hamdy Hassan / Shutterstock.com; fizkes / Shutterstock.com; Zurijeta / Shutterstock.com; creative_express / Shutterstock.com; Getty Images Pro / Stock Good
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Yanbu Industrial City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Yanbu’s strategic framework
An innovative learning initiative: Maharati (Skills)
Tariq AlAmri
Empowering readers through ‘Literature Everywhere’
Educational inclusion and support for people with disabilities
Teacher training and digital education
Environmental Education and Conservation
Sulaiman Alghadeyah
Lifelong learning, inclusion, and sustainability
The UNESCO Learning City Awards
The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities