Gwalior and Kozhikode Among 55 UNESCO Creative Cities Network

06 NOV, (VNI) On World Cities Day, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay made a momentous announcement, welcoming 55 new cities into the esteemed UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). These cities were carefully selected for their unwavering commitment to incorporating culture and creativity into their development strategies, as well as their innovative approaches to human-centered urban planning.

This expansion brings the UCCN's total membership to an impressive 350 cities, spanning more than one hundred countries. Each of these cities represents one of seven distinct creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music. This diverse array of cities showcases the global impact of creativity on urban development, demonstrating the universal language of culture that unites cities around the world.

The newly designated cities encompass a wide range of creative fields, exemplifying their unique contributions:

Asaba, recognized for its achievements in Film.
Ashgabat, celebrated for its outstanding contributions to Design.
Banja Luka, known for its rich musical heritage and designated for Music.
Battambang, renowned for its culinary excellence and acknowledged for Gastronomy.
Bissau, a city acknowledged for its musical contributions.
Bolzano, a city distinguished for its vibrant music scene.
Bremen, celebrated for its literary heritage and designated for Literature.
Buffalo City, recognized for its literary endeavors.
Bukhara, a city known for its exceptional Crafts and Folk Art.
Bydgoszcz, acknowledged for its musical accomplishments.
Caen, celebrated for its achievements in Media Arts.
Caracas, a city known for its vibrant music culture.
Casablanca, celebrated for its contributions to Media Arts.
Castelo Branco, distinguished for its Crafts and Folk Art.
Cetinje, a city celebrated for its innovative Design.
Chaozhou, known for its culinary prowess in Gastronomy.
Chiang Rai, acknowledged for its excellence in Design.
Chongqing, designated for its notable contributions to Design.
Concepción, recognized for its vibrant music scene.
Da Lat, celebrated for its musical heritage.
Fribourg, known for its culinary excellence in Gastronomy.
Gangneung, acknowledged for its culinary accomplishments.
Granada (Nicaragua), recognized for its innovative Design.
Gwalior, celebrated for its rich musical heritage.
Herakleion, distinguished for its gastronomic achievements.
Hobart, acknowledged for its literary contributions.
Hoi An, known for its exceptional Crafts and Folk Art.
Iasi, celebrated for its literary endeavors.
Iloilo City, recognized for its culinary excellence.
Ipoh, acknowledged for its musical achievements.
Kathmandu, a city celebrated for its contributions to Film.
Kozhikode, known for its literary heritage.
Kutaisi, distinguished for its literary achievements.
Mexicali – Celebrated for its musical contributions.

Montecristi – Distinguished for its Crafts and Folk Art.

Montreux – Known for its vibrant music scene.

Nkongsamba – Acknowledged for its culinary excellence.

Novi Sad – Celebrated for its achievements in Media Arts.

Okayama – Recognized for its literary contributions.

Ouarzazate – Designated for its contributions to Film.

Oulu – Acknowledged for its achievements in Media Arts.

Penedo – Recognized for its accomplishments in Film.

Rio de Janeiro – Celebrated for its rich literary heritage.

Şanlıurfa – Known for its musical contributions.

Suphanburi – Acknowledged for its musical accomplishments.

Surakarta – Celebrated for its exceptional Crafts and Folk Art.

Taif – Recognized for its literary heritage.

Toulouse – Distinguished for its vibrant music scene.

Tukums – Known for its literary contributions.

Ulaanbaatar – Celebrated for its outstanding Crafts and Folk Art.

Umngeni Howick – Acknowledged for its accomplishments in Crafts and Folk Art.

Valencia – Recognized for its contributions to Design.

Varaždin – Celebrated for its musical heritage.

Veliky Novgorod – Known for its vibrant music scene.

Vicente Lopez – Acknowledged for its achievements in Film.

Furthermore, the city of Lyon, which held the title of Creative City of Media Arts since 2008, has undergone a transformative shift and is now recognized as a Creative City of Literature. This change reflects Lyon's evolving contributions to the world of culture and creativity.

These newly appointed cities will work in tandem with existing UCCN members to bolster their resilience in the face of emerging challenges. This includes addressing issues such as climate change, escalating inequality, and the rapid urbanization that is projected to see 68% of the global population residing in urban areas by 2050.

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, extolled the cities in the Creative Cities Network for their leadership in expanding access to culture and harnessing the transformative power of creativity for urban resilience and development. She emphasized how these cities are setting an example for others worldwide.

In the coming months, an upcoming policy paper, titled "The added value of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network at local, national, and international level," will provide a comprehensive overview of the network's impact. It will demonstrate the pivotal role that cities play in achieving the objectives outlined in the 2030 Agenda, as well as showcase how UNESCO supports UCCN members through initiatives that encourage dialogue, peer-to-peer learning, and collaborative endeavors.

In recognition of their newfound designation, the newly appointed Creative Cities are warmly invited to participate in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference, scheduled to take place from July 1st to July 5th, 2024, in the picturesque city of Braga, Portugal. The conference theme, "Bringing Youth to the Table for the Next Decade," underscores the importance of involving the younger generation in shaping the future of creative and cultural endeavors within cities around the world. This event will serve as a platform for these cities to further advance their contributions to the global creative community.