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October 31, 2017
64 Cities join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Mumbai Misses the Shot!
Photo: A building in Dubai. Dubai has just been designated UNESCO Creative City of Design. Image Credit: Xiquinho Silva.
Paris, France, 31 October 2017 — 64 cities from 44 countries have been designated as UNESCO Creative Cities by the UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova. They join a Network at the frontline of UNESCO’s efforts to foster innovation and creativity as key drivers for a more sustainable and inclusive urban development. This network attracts growing interest from local authorities.
“These new designations showcase an enhanced diversity in city profiles and geographical balance, with 19 cities from countries not previously represented in the Network” declared the Director-General. She added, “The cooperation framework proposed to foster candidate cities from the Africa region - a UNESCO Global Priority - has been a true success with 9 African cities now joining the Network.”
The new 64 UNESCO Creative Cities are:
- Alba (Italy) - Gastronomy
- Almaty (Kazakhstan) - Music
- Amarante (Portugal) - Music
- Auckland (New Zealand) - Music
- Baguio City (Philippines) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Barcelos (Portugal) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Braga (Portugal) - Media Arts
- Brasilia (Brazil) - Design
- Bristol (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - Film
- Brno (Czechia) - Music
- Bucheon (Republic of Korea) - Literature
- Buenaventura (Colombia) - Gastronomy
- Cairo (Egypt) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Cape Town (South Africa) - Design
- Carrara (Italy) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Changsha (China) - Media Arts
- Chennai (India) - Music
- Chiang Mai (Thailand) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Chordeleg (Ecuador) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Cochabamba (Bolivia [Plurinational State of]) - Gastronomy
- Daegu Metropolitan City (Republic of Korea) - Music
- Dubai (United Arab Emirates) - Design
- Durban (South Africa) - Literature
- Frutillar (Chile) - Music
- Gabrovo (Bulgaria) - Crafts and Folk Art
- [City of] Greater Geelong (Australia) - Design
- Guadalajara (Mexico) - Media Arts
- Hatay Metropolitan Municipality (Turkey) - Gastronomy
- Istanbul (Turkey) - Design
- João Pessoa (Brazil) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Kansas City (United States of America) - Music
- Kolding (Denmark) - Design
- Kortrijk (Belgium) - Design
- Košice (Slovakia) - Media Arts
- Kütahya (Turkey) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Lillehammer (Norway) - Literature
- Limoges (France) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Åódź (Poland) - Film
- Macao Special Administrative Region, China (Associate Member, UNESCO) - Gastronomy
- Madaba (Jordan) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Manchester (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - Literature
- Mexico City (Mexico) - Design
- Milan (Italy) - Literature
- Morelia (Mexico) - Music
- Norrköping (Sweden) - Music
- Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Panama City (Panama) - Gastronomy
- Paraty (Brazil) - Gastronomy
- Pesaro (Italy) - Music
- Porto-Novo (Benin) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Praia (Cabo Verde) - Music
- Qingdao (China) - Film
- Québec City (Canada) - Literature
- San Antonio (United States of America) - Gastronomy
- Seattle (United States of America) - Literature
- Sheki (Azerbaijan) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Sokodé (Togo) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Terrassa (Spain) - Film
- Tétouan (Morocco) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Toronto (Canada) - Media Arts
- Tunis (Tunisia) - Crafts and Folk Art
- Utrecht (Netherlands) - Literature
- Wuhan (China) - Design
- Yamagata City (Japan) - Film
Since 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network highlights its members’ creativity within seven fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music. It now counts a total of 180 cities in 72 countries.
While differing geographically, demographically or economically, all Creative Cities commit to develop and exchange innovative best practices to promote creative industries, strengthen participation in cultural life, and integrate culture into sustainable urban development policies.
Photo: Mumbai, a strong contender for the prestigious “UNESCO Creative City for Films” designation, missed the shot by failing to submit its application in time. Here, Mumbai actress, Puja Gupta, attends the “All Is Lost” Premiere during the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at Grand Theatre Lumiere on May 22, 2013 in Cannes, France. Photo by Ian Gavan/WireImage for Electrolux. © 2013 WireImage.
From India, Chennai has been designated as UNESCO Creative City of Music. Mumbai, a strong contender for the prestigious “UNESCO Creative City of Films” designation, has missed out on its chance.
The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, had proposed to send dossiers for Chennai (for music), and Mumbai (for films). While the dossier to support Chennai was submitted by the government in time, dossier for Mumbai could not be sent ahead of the June 16 deadline set by the UNESCO Secretariat.
Photo: A Music and Dance event in Chennai. Image Credit: TEDx Chennai.
Photo: A. R. Rahman, renowned musician from Chennai, Oscar nominee for Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score) and for Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song), performs during the live ABC Television Network broadcast of the 83rd Annual Academy Awards from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA, Sunday, February 27, 2011. Photographer: Michael Yada. Image provided by and copyright © The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has congratulated people of Chennai on inclusion of Chennai in the UNESCO creative Cities Network.
The Prime Minister said, “Congratulations to the people of Chennai on the city’s inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition. Chennai’s contribution to our rich culture is precious. This is a proud moment for India.”
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Congratulations to the people of Chennai on the city’s inclusion in the @UNESCO Creative Cities Network for its rich musical tradition. Chennai’s contribution to our rich culture is precious. This is a proud moment for India: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 8, 2017
#Chennai is the third city, after Varanasi and Jaipur, from #India to join the #UNESCO Creative Cities Network. More details at: https://t.co/Fgnw7ZHFMd pic.twitter.com/puhyyxolBv
— UNESCO New Delhi (@UNESCO_NDL) November 14, 2017
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 4:03 PM | Link to this Post