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Yala, Thailand
Yala is the capital of Yala Province in southern Thailand.
groups
City population
59,394
person
Member since
2024
Vision
Yala’s lifelong learning strategy is anchored in a four-tier approach: surveying needs, planning, identifying key personnel, and monitoring, orchestrated by the Yala Learning City Committees. In the short term, the focus is on understanding the diverse learning needs of all communities and creating accessible green learning spaces using municipal resources like school buses and city trams. Long-term goals include transforming Yala into a smart learning city through multisectoral collaborations and the leveraging of technology. Under the UNESCO GNLC framework, Yala prioritizes green partnerships, inclusivity and sustainable practices to address both educational and climate change challenges.
Creating a learning city without limits.
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Mr Pongsak Yingchoncharoen
Mayor of Yala
Policies, plan and implementation
Sustainability and health
Yala integrates sustainability and health into its learning strategy by merging SDG 3 and SDG 17 into its lifelong learning policies. The city has developed green learning spaces and health clubs open to all, tracking health outcomes to ensure efficacy. Yala also focuses on creating green spaces like Suan Khwan Muang Garden, enhancing environmental and community well-being.
Equity and inclusion
The city focuses on equity and inclusion by prioritizing vulnerable communities. Using a framework aligned with SDGs 4, 10,and 17, Yala collaborates with schools, universities and the Equitable Education Fund to address learning loss exacerbated by COVID-19. Strategies include first-aid assistance, green learning spaces and scholarships, particularly aimed at bridging educational gaps for economically disadvantaged youth.
Decent work and entrepreneurship
Yala’s strategy for promoting decent work and entrepreneurship is in alignment with SDGs 8, 10 and 11. The city facilitates platforms like the Pakaian Melayu Yala Fashion Festival to offer learning opportunities for local labourers and youths. These initiatives teach skills such as sustainable fashion design, providing avenues for income during hardships like the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the Yala Bird City project encourages entrepreneurial activities that also contribute to waste reduction.
Good practices
Human Library
The project features a monthly Coffee Council Forum and health check-ups for learners. It serves as a platform for dialogue across diverse social groups, helping to assess local learning needs. The initiative, focused on Limitless Learning in a Sustainable Environment, has led to a decrease in hospital visits among learners and encourages the sharing of green learning space ideas.
Pakaian Melayu Design Week
This initiative emphasizes green, lifelong learning that is inclusive of all social groups. It aims to preserve local traditions and cultures, particularly with regard to clothing and fabric. By incorporating remnant and second-hand materials into the learning process, the initiative not only promotes sustainability by preserving natural resources, but also creates decent job opportunities.
Yala Youth Orchestra
The Yala Youth Orchestra, founded 14 years ago, offers music education to all youths and families in Yala. Collaborating with key partners, such as Thailand’s university music schools, the initiative has a Municipality Fund to support economically disadvantaged youths in pursuing university-level music studies.