Srinagar joins UNESCO Network of Creative Cities

• 09 Nov 2021

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, is among the 49 cities selected worldwide to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

• It has been designated as a creative city of craft and folk arts.
• These 49 cities were added to the network of 246 cities 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 Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO (INCCU) had recommended Srinagar and Gwalior for inclusion in the coveted list, only Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital made it.

(Image Source: The Kashmir Pulse)

Other Indian Cities on the List

• Chennai and Varanasi - UNESCO Cities of Music
• Jaipur - UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Arts
• Mumbai - UNESCO City of Film
• Hyderabad - UNESCO City of Gastronomy

The network now numbers 295 cities reaching 90 countries that invest in culture and creativity — crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts, and music — to advance sustainable urban development.

About UCCN

• 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 cities under 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.

Aim of the Initiative

• The UNESCO Creative Cities aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goals through innovative thinking and action (Sustainable Development Goal 11 aims for Sustainable Cities and Communities).

What does it mean to join UNESCO' Creative Cities Network?

• By joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), 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 the creation, production, distribution and dissemination of cultural activities, goods and services.
• They also pledge to develop hubs of creativity and innovation and broaden opportunities for creators and professionals in the cultural sector.