From October 13 to 15, Executive Director Dr. Zhao Yuchi and Programme Coordinator Ms. Fang Yuan’an and Ms. Wu Yunfei of the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education (INRULED), attended the 2025 World Food Forum (WFF) at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, Italy.
The 2025 Forum, themed “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”, brought together over 25,000 participants, including government leaders, ministers, and representatives from across sectors. Marking the 80th anniversary of FAO, discussions focused on global food security, youth empowerment, and technological innovation.
On the morning of October 14, INRULED supported the youth-led side event “Empowering Farmers and SMEs Against Climate Shocks”. Ms. Wu Yunfei delivered a presentation titled “Empowering Rural Communities through Lifelong Learning”.She highlighted four key dimensions, including environmental awareness, community transformation, innovation, and collaboration, showcasing practical cases from China’s rural Community Learning Centres (CLCs) and civil society organisations, she shared cases from Zhongguan Adult School in Deqing County (Zhejiang Province), the Green Xinjiang Environment Protection and Sustainable Development Centre, Dajiahe Adult Cultural and Technical School (Zhejiang Province), and Suzhou Wujiang District Fenhu Adult Education School (Jiangsu Province). Her presentation demonstrated how lifelong learning enhances community climate resilience and supports sustainable livelihoods.
Janja Lula da Silva, First Lady of Brazil and Special Envoy for Women at COP30, attended the event. She emphasized that youth play a crucial role in fostering harmony between people and nature, calling for the integration of technology and traditional knowledge to promote ecological agriculture and rural transformation through supportive public policies.
During the forum, the INRULED team held discussions with senior officials from FAO’s South-South and Triangular Cooperation Division and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division on deepening future collaboration. Meanwhile, INRULED joined its partners for visiting the Embassy of China in Italy.
On October 15, the INRULED’s team visited the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO) in Turin. They exchanged with programme teams on rural development, youth empowerment, and gender equality. Both sides introduced their institutional missions and flagship initiatives, exploring future collaboration in areas such as capacity building for technical and vocational institutions, rural skills training, women’s entrepreneurship, and youth development.
Through participation, presentations, and bilateral meetings, INRULED effectively shared China’s rural education and community learning experiences, strengthened partnerships with FAO and ILO, and laid a solid foundation for future joint initiatives.