Riyadh, AlUla & Riyadh Al-Khabra Join UNESCO Learning Cities Network

UNESCO has officially added Riyadh, AlUla and Riyadh Al-Khabra to its Global Network of Learning Cities, making them the latest Saudi cities recognised for embedding lifelong learning into urban development. The announcement came as part of UNESCO’s 2025 update to the network.

The designation acknowledges these cities for meeting international standards in integrating learning across daily life — through schools, public spaces, workplaces and community environments. The recognition highlights progress in reskilling, upskilling and promoting literacy among adults who missed formal education.

With the new additions, the Kingdom now has eight member cities in the network, alongside Jubail, Yanbu, Madinah, Al-Ahsa and King Abdullah Economic City.