Irkutsk is launching the learning city project, aimed at bringing together those who want to learn and those ready to share knowledge. It will begin with Nonformal Education Week from March 1 to 6. Residents will have more than 100 venues in many fields, from science and theater to handicrafts, visual arts, and eco tourism. Organizers promise programs for all ages so everyone can find something of interest and discover something new.

“The city’s main resource is people. A person must learn throughout their entire life. That is the foundation of a learning city. Irkutsk has good starting positions to become exactly such a city: there are many who can teach something, as well as those who want to learn. But the problem is that they are disconnected. And our goal is to help them meet,” said Olga Gordina, member of the Public Chamber of the city of Irkutsk, head of the “Higher People’s School.”
The idea of a learning city first appeared in Japan in 1979 as one way to “revitalize” a small city that was experiencing a steady outflow of population. Today, positive experience of learning cities is being used throughout Europe.
“At the end of 2012, the long-term target program ‘Open City’ was adopted in Irkutsk; it includes the subprogram ‘City of Active Citizens,’ whose idea is very similar to the meaning of a learning city,” explained Olga Kurilenkova, head of the Public Relations Department of the Information Policy, Media Relations and Public Affairs Office of the Irkutsk city administration. “The start of the new project for Irkutsk will be the ‘Week of Non-Formal Education,’ which will take place from March 1 to 6. We would like as many Irkutsk residents as possible to take part in the educational venues during this time.”
During the week, any city resident will be able to expand their knowledge in a variety of areas: pop dance, theater, science, handicrafts and crafts, visual arts, eco-tourism, etc. In total, more than 100 venues will operate in different districts of the city. Moreover, the presentation of the material will be aimed at different ages: “The program of the ‘Science for Everyone’ venue offers a program for primary school age, where one can learn to create a science cartoon and, in general, learn a lot of new things about science; the venue for young people is a discussion club, open public lectures on various topics with the involvement of leading scientists of Irkutsk; conversations with no age restrictions are also planned, which we have called ‘About Mathematics for Humanities Students,’” said Yulia Sapozhnikova, a participant in the ‘Irkutsk – Learning City’ project, about her venue.
Based on materials from the Press Service of the Irkutsk city administration