With the slogan “Lifelong learning, sustainable culture, bright future, deep integration”, Son La city is synchronously implementing solutions, striving to have initiatives recognized by UNESCO and honored with the “Global Learning City” award for the period up to 2030, continuing to affirm Son La's position on the world education map.

Replicating the "House of Wisdom"

To achieve the goal of being recognized by UNESCO and honored with the "Global Learning City" award by 2030, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee has issued a conclusion on strengthening leadership in building Son La city to meet UNESCO's criteria for a global learning city. Continue to improve educational facilities, promote the construction and development of community learning spaces, build creative learning models, such as "Wisdom House" and "Compassionate Library", creating the best conditions for people to access knowledge throughout their lives.

Provincial leaders and departments, branches and sectors of the province visited "Intellectual House" Group 1, Chieng Le Ward.

Comrade Ha Trung Chien, Member of the Provincial Standing Committee, Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the City People's Council, Head of the Steering Committee for Son La City's Global Learning, said: After more than 7 months of being registered in the "Global Learning City" network, up to now, the City has had 35 "Intelligence Houses" and 8 "Compassionate Libraries" in groups, villages, and schools launched and operated. Here, many practical activities, from searching for and reading books and newspapers to participating in games, cultural exchanges, arts, and sports, attract a large number of people to participate. "Intelligence Houses" have become familiar destinations, contributing to promoting the building of learning communities and learning societies in the City.

Intellectual House Group 9, Chieng Le Ward serves the reading, entertainment and recreation needs of the people.

"Intellectual House" Group 9, Chieng Le Ward was completed and put into operation in May 2024. The house is arranged with separate rooms to create a convenient living space for citizens to read books for free and participate in recreational activities. In particular, there is also an area displaying artifacts of costumes, utensils, and musical instruments of local ethnic minorities, contributing to preserving and promoting traditional cultural values.

Mr. Giang Van Dong, Secretary of Party Cell 9, Chieng Le Ward, shared: The Party Cell together with the Chieng Le Ward Union mobilized social resources to build the group's "Intellectual House"; launched a movement to support books, newspapers, and magazines from citizens. Currently, the group's "Intellectual House" has 3,000 books to serve readers, gradually improving the reading culture for the local community.

Group 3, Quyet Tam Ward cooperates with the Provincial Library to serve citizens' reading needs.

Realizing the benefits of the "Intellectual House" model, Chieng Le Ward has now replicated the model. Ms. Lo Thi Binh, Secretary of the Ward Party Committee, shared: The Party Committee has directed the Ward People's Committee to issue documents guiding groups to implement the "Intellectual House" model. Up to now, 9/13 groups and villages of the ward have "Intellectual Houses", with a total of more than 18,000 books in all fields; maintaining reading activities at least 3 sessions/week and regularly holding cultural and artistic activities, sports and activities to preserve national culture.

"Intellectual House" Group 3, Quyet Tam Ward serves citizens' reading needs.

Nguyen Trai Secondary School is one of 8 schools that have built a “House of Wisdom”, including: a Humanitarian Library with thousands of books on many fields; a local corner displaying traditional costumes, props, and items imbued with the culture of ethnic groups in the Northwest... serving the reading, research, and study needs of teachers and over 900 students.

Fun and entertainment activities at "Intellectual House" Nguyen Tra Secondary Schooli.

Giang Nguyen Khanh Son, class 9A5, shared: During recess, my friends and I often go to the "Intelligence House" to read our favorite books and play chess for fun. From the books, we gain more knowledge beyond textbooks, especially advanced math books, which is the subject I am reviewing for the excellent student team exam.

The Institute of Lifelong Learning donated books to "Intellectual House" Nguyen Trai Secondary School and groups and villages in the city.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Lifelong Learning Institute, founder of the "Humanitarian Bookshelf" and "Wisdom House" programs, said: The creativity and flexibility of groups, villages, and schools in finding book sources and organizing activities at the "Wisdom House" have attracted a large number of people to participate and contributed to spreading the reading culture to the community. The Lifelong Learning Institute will provide maximum support to the "Wisdom Houses" in connecting with domestic and foreign education experts to exchange culture and academics. Connecting so that Son La city can become twinned with some cities abroad that are similar in culture and society.

Building a civilized, modern and unique city

Preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups has been of interest to Son La city, which has directed communes and wards to establish ethnic cultural clubs, promote and mobilize people to participate, and invite cultural artisans to teach members and their children.

Thai language class at Thai cultural club in Chau Co village, Chieng Coi ward.

Chieng Coi Ward has established 3 Thai cultural clubs in Group 1, Chau Co and Coong Noi villages, with 135 members. The clubs actively collect, preserve and teach the cultural heritage of the Thai people, such as xoe dance, ancient Thai dances, han khuong singing, and teaching Thai to the people, children and students of Tay Bac University.

Every Saturday and Sunday, members of the Thai Cultural Club of Chau Co village gather at the village cultural house for activities. Ms. Lo Thi Mai Cuong, a club member, shared: The club has a specific weekly schedule, including many activities, playing folk games, practicing singing, dancing, teaching Thai characters... Joining the club helps us to exchange, learn, preserve and pass on the precious cultural heritage of the Thai ethnic group.

Thai cultural clubs in Chau Co village, Chieng Coi ward, teach children how to embroider scarves.

As the oldest student attending the Thai writing class of Chau Co village, Ms. Tong Thi Hoa shared: After more than 2 months of studying, I have learned how to write Thai, learned many more folk songs, proverbs, antithetical songs, and rhymes of the Thai people, and I will teach them to my children and grandchildren.

In Chieng An ward, 3 ethnic cultural clubs have been effectively maintained, with 141 members. The clubs organize 4 classes to teach Thai xoe and "Unity dance", 3 classes to teach Thai script and teach weaving crafts to the younger generation. In addition, the clubs actively organize cultural exchanges, sports competitions and folk games such as to mak le, tung con... to create a joyful atmosphere and connect the community.

Bo village cultural club, Chieng An ward, regularly practices and participates in city events.

Ms. Lo Thi Bua, Vice Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Chieng An Ward, shared: To create conditions for the clubs to operate, the ward mobilizes socialization and contributions from members to build funds and purchase equipment. In the coming time, the ward will launch 2 more clubs in Ca and Phua Con villages.

To date, Son La City has established 54 Thai cultural clubs, attracting more than 2,300 members. Ms. Lu Thi Doan, Head of the City's Department of Culture and Information, said: The clubs not only contribute to preserving and teaching traditional cultural values, but also act as a bridge between generations; actively research and preserve good customs and practices from ancient Thai script to common script, helping the community to easily access and better understand the cultural heritage of their people. In addition, the City also restores the "Xen Ban" Festival and maintains the practice and performance of 6 "Xoe Co" and "Doan Ket Doan" dances.

Promoting Global Learning Cities

Striving to maintain the title of "Global Learning City", the lifelong learning movement in families, clans and communities is of interest to and developed by sectors, units and localities in the city; creating favorable conditions and encouraging cadres, civil servants, workers, pupils and students to promote the spirit of self-study and creativity in many flexible and suitable forms.

City organizes "Book Festival and Reading Culture"

Ms. Lo Thi Lien, Vice President of the City's Association for Promotion of Education, informed: The lifelong learning movement in families, clans and communities has been paid attention to and developed in depth by sectors, units and localities. The rate of "Learning Families", "Learning Clans", "Learning Communities", and "Learning Units" has increased steadily every year. Up to now, 73.1% of the City's citizens have achieved the title of "Learning Citizens", 95.8% of households have achieved the title of "Learning Families", 100% of clans have achieved the title of "Learning Clans", 100% of communes, wards, groups, villages and sub-regions have achieved learning; 100% of agencies, units and schools have achieved the title of "Learning Units".

The city continues to maintain and innovate the organization of foreign language and ethnic minority language training classes for officials, civil servants and public employees to serve their work. Advise the Steering Committee to develop a plan to organize the contest "Son La - The global learning city I love"; successfully organize an English speaking contest for students of high schools in the area for the 2023-2024 school year.

English training course for officials, civil servants, and public employees of the City Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee of Son La City in 2024.

Mr. Tran Cong Chinh, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, said: The city has proactively attended all conferences and seminars organized by UNESCO in person and online. Proactively contacted the UNESCO Lifelong Learning Institute to register to participate in the Global Learning Cities Case Study Project in Asia and Africa, scheduled to be held in Shanghai, China in October 2024. Registered and implemented the development of the scientific topic "Research on solutions to improve the quality of reading promotion work in Son La city"...

Students from various schools enthusiastically participate in folk games at Northwest Square.

With high political determination, Son La city strives to achieve the “Global Learning City” award by 2030. Focus on promoting learning opportunities from basic education to higher education for the people; encourage learning in families and communities; create conditions for learning to serve work and at the workplace; expand the use of modern learning technology; enhance the quality and comprehensiveness of learning; promote a culture of lifelong learning...

According to: Son La Newspaper