Lucknow named UNESCO ‘Creative City of Gastronomy’

• On World Cities Day 2025, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay designated 58 cities as new members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

• Lucknow has been added to the list of UNESCO creative cities for its rich and diverse culinary heritage.

• Lucknow has been recognised in the category of Gastronomy.

• Lucknow is renowned for its rich and traditional gourmet food, from the popular street food to Awadhi cuisine and delectable desserts.

• The recognition honours cities for their commitment to championing creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development as they bring their proven expertise in building resilient and vibrant communities.

• From Kisumu (Kenya) and New Orleans (USA), chosen for the vitality of their music industries, to Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) for Design, Giza (Egypt) for Film, Rovaniemi (Finland) for Architecture, Malang (Indonesia) for Media Arts and Aberystwyth (United Kingdom) for Literature, each city promotes a distinct cultural expertise, rooted in its territory and generating social cohesion and economic dynamism.

• The UNESCO Creative Cities Network now includes 408 cities across more than 100 countries.

Other Indian cities in UCCN:

i) Srinagar - Craft and Folk Arts

ii) Chennai - Music

iii) Varanasi - Music 

iv) Jaipur - Crafts and Folk Arts 

v) Mumbai - Film 

vi) Hyderabad - Gastronomy. 

vii) Kozhikode - Literature

viii) Gwalior - Music.

UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

• Launched in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) aims to strengthen cooperation with and among cities that have recognised creativity as a strategic factor of sustainable development as regards economic, social, cultural and environmental aspects. 

• By joining the Network, cities acknowledge their commitment to sharing best practices, developing partnerships that promote creativity and the cultural industries, strengthening participation in cultural life and integrating culture in urban development plans. 

• The Network further commits to supporting the United Nations frameworks, particularly the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

• This year, a new theme, Architecture, has been added to the seven existing ones: Crafts and Folk Art, Media Arts, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature and Music. 

Objectives of UCCN:

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

ii) 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.

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

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

v) 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.

vi) Fully integrate culture and creativity into local development strategies and plans.