Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, recognised for its rich musical heritage, and Kozhikode in Kerala, distinguished for its literary excellence, India’s both nominations have earned a prestigious spot in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
These historic cities are among the 55 new cities that have joined the UCCN. UNESCO made the announcement on its official website on Tuesday. The UNESCO designation will not only provide global recognition to these identified cities but also facilitate international funding, collaborations with relevant institutes, and promote their respective creative fields as products.
With this latest addition, India can now boast a total of seven cities on the coveted UCCN list. The Indian cities already on the UCCN list include Srinagar for Crafts and Folk Arts (2021), Mumbai for Film (2019), Hyderabad for Gastronomy (2019), Chennai for Music (2017), Jaipur for Crafts and Folk Arts (2015), and Varanasi for Music (2015).
Following UNESCO’s announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the inclusion, saying that India’s cultural vibrancy “shines brighter on the global stage”. These cities have been acknowledged for “their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity as part of their development strategies, and displaying innovative practices in human-centered urban planning,” the world body said in a statement.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah joined the PM in applauding the development, emphasising that the global recognition will strengthen India’s cultural identity.
In a post on X, Shah said, “It is another moment of elation for our nation as Gwalior and Kozhikode have been included in @UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. Recognising Gwalior’s glorious heritage of music, the city has been designated as the ‘City of Music,’ and Kozhikode in Kerala as the ‘City of Literature’ by UNESCO.”
“The global recognition of our creative spirit will invigorate the creative pursuits of our poets, authors, and musicians with a renewed zest while strengthening our cultural identity,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, G Kishan Reddy, Union Culture and Tourism Minister, called it “A proud moment for India.
“These cities get acknowledged and recognised for their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity. Congratulations to all stakeholders!” tweeted the Union Minister.
Meanwhile, the UNESCO statement added that on World Cities Day, designated by the United Nations on October 31, a total of 55 cities have joined the UCCN.
New cities were acknowledged for their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity as part of their development strategies, and for displaying innovative practices in human-centred urban planning.
With the latest additions, the UCCN have 350 cities in over 100 countries, representing seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.
Bukhara for Crafts and Folk Art, Casablanca for Media Arts, Chongqing for Design, Kathmandu for Film, Rio de Janeiro for Literature, and Ulaanbaatar for Crafts and Folk Art are among the 55 new cities designated by UNESCO.
“The cities in our Creative Cities Network are leading the way when it comes to enhancing access to culture and galvanizing the power of creativity for urban resilience and development,” said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General.
An upcoming policy paper titled “The Added Value of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network at Local, National, and International Levels” will attest to the leading role played by cities towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda while demonstrating ways in which UNESCO supports the UCCN members by fostering dialogue, peer-to-peer learning, and collaboration, it said.
The newly designated Creative Cities will participate in next year’s UCCN annual meeting to be held in July 2024 in Braga, Portugal, under the theme “Bringing Youth to the Table for the Next Decade,” the statement said. Every year, UNESCO seeks applications from various cities across the globe to include them in its UCCN project.
