UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

Source:  TH

Context: At the 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Uzbekistan (2025), Lucknow was declared a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, celebrating its rich Awadhi cuisine, culinary heritage, and cultural diplomacy through food.

About UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN):

What it is?

• The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is a global platform of cities that use creativity and cultural industries as key drivers for sustainable urban development.

Established in: 2004 by UNESCO to promote international cooperation among cities investing in culture and creativity as tools for inclusive growth.

Aim:

• To strengthen collaboration among cities, foster cultural innovation, and integrate creativity in local development policies—supporting SDGs, especially Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Key Features:

• Brings together 350+ cities worldwide from 7 creative fields — Gastronomy, Literature, Music, Film, Design, Crafts & Folk Arts, and Media Arts.
• Promotes cultural exchange, knowledge-sharing, and capacity-building among member cities.
• Encourages creative economy growth, sustainable tourism, and inclusive urban planning.
• Recognizes and protects intangible cultural heritage while aligning with UNESCO’s global cultural agenda.
• Cities commit to collaborative international projects and periodic progress reporting to maintain designation.

Indian Cities Recognized under UCCN: