What is the UNESCO Creative Cities Network?
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) started in 2004 to help cities work together for their long-term growth. These cities also work with other cities from around the world.
When cities join the UCCN, they agree to connect and share ideas with public and private groups and society. They do this for many reasons, such as:
- To make culture-related activities, products, and services better.
- To create places and provide more opportunities for professionals in this field.
- To make culture more interesting and enjoyable, especially for marginalised groups and individuals.
- To add culture and creativity into long-term development goals.
The UCCN is divided into seven creative sectors: crafts and folk art, media arts, film, design, gastronomy, literature, and music. Recently, two Indian cities were added to the UCCN list.
Which two Indian cities have been included in the UCCN list?
UNESCO just added 55 new cities to the UCCN list. Two of them are Kozhikode (in Kerala) and Gwalior (in Madhya Pradesh). Kozhikode has been given the City of Literature tag, the first in India. Gwalior has been given the City of Music tag.
UNESCO recognised these cities for using culture and creativity in their development plans. The cities also adopted new practices for urban planning.
The newly recognised creative cities are invited to attend the UCCN annual conference in Braga, Portugal, in 2024. The conference's theme is 'Bringing Youth to the Table for the Next Decade.' With the recent additions, the UCCN now includes 350 creative cities in over 100 countries.
How many Indian cities are on the UCCN list?
Now, there are eight Indian cities on the UCCN list, with the addition of two new cities. The previous six cities are:
- Mumbai - Film
- Srinagar - Crafts and Folk Art
- Jaipur - Crafts and Folk Art
- Hyderabad - Gastronomy
- Varanasi - Music
- Chennai - Music
Every year, UNESCO invites cities worldwide to apply for the UCCN project. UNESCO then reviews the cities and decides whether to include them on the list.
Have you visited any of the eight UCCN cities in India? Tell us in the comments.
