Srinagar joins UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

The city of Srinagar has joined the UNESCO Network of Creative Cities. It has been designated aa a Creative City of Craft and Folk Arts. 

Worldwide, 49 new cities have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) following their designation by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, in recognition of their commitment to placing culture and creativity at the heart of their development and to sharing knowledge and good practices.

The Network now numbers 295 cities across 90 countries.

Srinagar joins Chennai and Varanasi — UNESCO Cities of music, Jaipur - UNESCO City of crafts and folk arts, Mumbai — UNESCO city of film and Hyderabad – UNESCO City of gastronomy. 

What is the Creative Cities Network?

• The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. 

The Network covers seven creative fields: 

• Crafts and Folk Arts

• Media Arts

• Film

• Design

• Gastronomy

• Literature

• Music.

• The 295 cities in this Network work together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.

• The Creative Cities Network is a privileged partner of UNESCO, not only as a platform for reflection on the role of creativity as a lever for sustainable development but also as a breeding ground of action and innovation, notably for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

By joining the Network, cities commit to sharing their best practices and developing partnerships involving the public and private sectors as well as civil society in order to:

• Strengthen international cooperation between cities that have recognised creativity as a strategic factor of their sustainable development.

• Stimulate and enhance initiatives led by member cities to make creativity an essential component of urban development, notably through partnerships involving the public and private sectors and civil society.

• Strengthen the creation, production, distribution and dissemination of cultural activities, goods and services.

• Develop hubs of creativity and innovation and broaden opportunities for creators and professionals in the cultural sector.

• Improve access to and participation in cultural life, as well as the enjoyment of cultural goods and services, notably for marginalised or vulnerable groups and individuals.

• Fully integrate culture and creativity into local development strategies and plans.

New cities in UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

• Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) – Music

• Batumi (Georgia) – Music

• Belfast (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) – Music

• Bida (Nigeria) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Bohicon (Benin) – Gastronomy

• Buraidah (Saudi Arabia) – Gastronomy

• Bursa (Turkey) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Campina Grande (Brazil) – Media Arts

• Cannes (France) – Film

• Cluj-Napoca (Romania) – Film

• Como (Italy) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Covilhã (Portugal) – Design

• Doha (Qatar) – Design

• Gdynia (Poland) – Film

• Gimhae (South Korea) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Göteborg (Sweden) – Literature

• Hamar (Norway) – Media Arts

• Huai’an (China) – Gastronomy

• Huancayo (Peru) – Music

• Ibagué (Colombia) – Music

• Jakarta (Indonesia) – Literature

• Kermanshah (Iran) – Gastronomy

• Kharkiv (Ukraine) – Music

• Kuching (Malaysia) – Gastronomy

• Lankaran (Azerbaijan) – Gastronomy

• Launceston (Australia) – Gastronomy

• London (Canada) – Music

• Manises (Spain) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Modena (Italy) – Media Arts

• Nakuru (Kenya) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Namur (Belgium) – Media Arts

• Pasto (Colombia) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Perth (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Phetchaburi (Thailand) – Gastronomy

• Port Louis (Mauritius) – Music

• Recife (Brazil) – Music

• Rouen (France) – Gastronomy

• Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation) – Gastronomy

• Santa Maria da Feira (Portugal) – Gastronomy

• Santiago de Cuba (Cuba) – Music

• Srinagar (India) – Crafts and Folk Art

• Tallinn (Estonia) – Music

• Tbilisi (Georgia) – Media Arts

• Thessaloniki (Greece) – Gastronomy

• Usuki (Japan) – Gastronomy

• Vilnius (Lithuania) – Literature

• Weifang (China) – Handicraft and Folk Art

• Whanganui (New Zealand) – Design

• Xalapa (Mexico) – Music.

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