Kozhikode and Gwalior Earn UNESCO Recognition for Cultural Contributions

• 04 Nov 2023

Recently, Kozhikode in Kerala and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh have achieved the prestigious honour of being designated UNESCO Creative Cities for their noteworthy contributions in the fields of literature and music, respectively.

Key Points

• Creative Cities Network: The newly designated cities were commended for their strong dedication to incorporating culture and creativity into their development strategies, as well as implementing innovative approaches in human-centric urban planning.
• Prime Minister's Congratulatory Message: On November 1, Prime Minister congratulated Kozhikode and Gwalior for joining the esteemed UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
• Expanded Creative Cities Network: With the addition of Kozhikode and Gwalior, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network now comprises 350 cities from more than one hundred countries.
• These cities represent seven creative fields, including Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.
• Cultural Significance: Kozhikode hosts the annual Kerala Literature Festival and several other literary events. Gwalior boasts a diverse musical heritage, encompassing classical Hindustani music, folk music, and devotional music. The city is home to prestigious music institutes and hosts popular music festivals.
• Further Additions: Other cities added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network include Bukhara for Crafts and Folk Art, Casablanca for Media Arts, Kathmandu for Films, and Rio de Janeiro for Literature.
• 2024 UCCN Annual Conference: The newly designated Creative Cities have been invited to participate in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference, scheduled for July 1-5, 2024, in Braga, Portugal, under the theme "Bringing Youth to the table for the next decade."