Education is an essential part of a democratic and sustainable society, allowing to form active citizens, encouraging their personal development. Education is a necessary tool for citizens' lives, to build a diverse and inclusive society, to change mentalities, to raise awareness of vital social matters such as gender equality. It is also a bulwark against hatred and prejudices. In addition to improving quality of life, access to inclusive education must be democratized, as it is the way to solve the world’s greatest problems.

The approach of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is based on three key principles: achieving SDGs is the shared responsibility of all levels of government; local and regional authorities must have the necessary competences and financial autonomy to achieve the goals in their respective areas; citizens must always remain at the heart of the action.

The Congress encourages public authorities to make education accessible to all: free, equitable and of quality. It is particularly committed to promoting the inclusion and active participation of young people in civic life as a means of ensuring social cohesion and anchoring democratic principles in a society based on respect for human rights. This approach was confirmed by the adoption of the European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Municipal and Regional Life in 1992. The active participation of citizens in representative democratic structures and institutions is decisive for the legitimacy, credibility and functioning of democratic systems. The Congress work focuses on social rights, youth work, intercultural education and democratic citizenship.

The Congress adopted the following texts in relation to SDG 4:

The following thematic activities of the Congress are particularly related to SDG 4:

Congress has issued the following SDG 4 relevant publications:

Children and sustainable cities: Congress adopts guidelines for local and regional authorities

Children and sustainable cities: Congress adopts guidelines for local and regional authorities

42nd Session 23 March 2022 Strasbourg, France
Children and sustainable cities: Congress adopts guidelines for local and regional authorities

The Congress has published a new booklet on “How to make your town a better place” to raise children’s awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. The aim is to encourage 6- to 11-year-olds to get involved in the implementation of SDGs in their...

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