The Safe and Sound Cities Programme (S2Cities), envisioned by the Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (GIB), has been working since 2021 to bring young people to the forefront of urban development and transformation as co-creators of safer, more inclusive, and resilient cities. Through its implementation phases (2021–2028), S2Cities has supported youth and local governments across diverse contexts to co-design innovative, locally grounded urban safety solutions. Young people are empowered with resources and opportunities to formulate initiatives that can be practically applied to city development and design processes and bring about tangible change to make cities safer.
The Global Learning Network (GLN) was launched in 2023 by GIB to build on this momentum and scale it further. It represents the first global network dedicated specifically to advancing safer, resilient, and inclusive cities through meaningful youth participation. The GLN distinguishes itself by systematically integrating youth leadership into urban safety governance through tested implementation models. Unlike traditional platforms, it is grounded in real-world practice and tested methodologies, strengthened by South–South and North-South exchange, and driven by collaboration between city governments, youth leaders, civil society, academia, and private sector actors.
The goal of the GLN is to bring together knowledge about youth leadership and participation, urban safety issues and governance, and implementation tactics to mediate an exchange between geographies and sectors to facilitate integrated learning and partnership. The network also provides pathways to build a repository of knowledge from within programme activities, as well as external sources, through a tiered membership system categorised according to levels of partnership and stakeholder status.
We are excited to begin expanding the operations of the Global Learning Network in 2026, with a series of exchanges, collaborations, and initiatives that will lead towards the second GLN Global Convening in 2027 and beyond.
If you would like to be a part of this vision, join the S2Cities Global Learning Network today!
To learn more about the GLN and how it works, feel free to explore the GLN Charter
To register to be a part of the GLN, use this link to access the Registration Form
