Kozhikode, a historic city in North Kerala, has achieved a significant milestone by joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), which comprises 350 cities from over 100 countries. Kozhikode’s recognition in the field of literature highlights its creative prowess. This inclusion reflects the city’s commitment to promoting creativity and culture on a global stage.
Notably, Gwalior, another Indian city, has also made its mark in the UCCN, with a focus on music. In this latest round of inductees, cities like Rio de Janeiro, Taif, Tukums, Hobart, Lasi, Okayama, and Kathmandu have joined the network, each excelling in various creative domains.
As members of the UCCN, these cities pledge to share their best practices and establish partnerships involving both the public and private sectors, along with civil society. Such collaboration is essential to enhance their resilience in the face of contemporary challenges like climate change, increasing inequality, and rapid urbanization, considering that a projected 68 percent of the world’s population will reside in urban areas by 2050.
The 2024 UCCN Annual Conference, set to take place in Braga, Portugal from July 1 to 5, will provide a platform for the newly designated creative cities to engage with the theme of “bringing youth to the table for the next decade.” This emphasizes the importance of involving the younger generation in the urban development process.
The UCCN, established in 2004, aims to foster collaboration among cities that recognize creativity as a vital element for sustainable urban development. Cities in the network actively work towards incorporating creativity and cultural industries into their local development plans while engaging in international cooperation, all in pursuit of a common objective. This global network serves as a platform for sharing ideas, innovations, and a commitment to nurturing creativity on a global scale.
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