UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)
- CCN was created in 2004 by UNESCO.
- Aims to “promote cooperation among cities that recognise creativity as a strategic factor in urban development”
- Supports Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Creative Cities’ status to cities globally based on their cultural contributions and traditions in design, film, literature, music, and folk-art categories.
- Jaipur: Crafts and Folk Arts (2015), Varanasi: Music (2015), Chennai: Music (2017), Mumbai: Film (2019), Hyderabad: Gastronomy (2019), Srinagar: Crafts and Folk Arts (2021)
- At the 16th annual UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) conference in Braga, Portugal, Kozhikode was awarded the title of “City of Literature” and Gwalior the title of “City of Music,” both cities will present their traditions and cultures.
- The annual conference provides member cities with a platform to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices for building sustainable communities.
- Kozhikode and Gwalior are now among the 350 UNESCO Creative Cities worldwide.
- The conference’s theme is “Bringing Youth to the Table for the Next Decade.”
- Kozhikode:
- Kozhikode is the first city in India to receive this honour.
- The city has produced notable talents across various cultural spheres with contributions from renowned writers and two Jnanpith winners playing a significant role in achieving this prestigious status.
- Kozhikode’s achievement, surpassing Kolkata’s richer literary tradition, was made possible by the local administration’s effective planning and preparation.
- The Anakkulam Cultural Centre will serve as the ‘City of Literature Centre.’
- Gwalior:
- Gwalior is renowned for its strong commitment to culture and creativity since the time of the Mughal dynasty.
- The Gwalior Gharana is known as the melodic heart of India.
- It has produced legends such as Ramtanu Pandey (Mian Tansen), Ustad Nathan Pir Baksh, Ustad Nathu Khan, and Bhaiya Ganpatrao Shinde, a pioneer of solo harmonium playing.
- As the epicentre of a distinctive music style, Gwalior has achieved high prestige. However, the journey to becoming the city of music is ongoing.
Dig Deeper: Read about the World Crafts Council.
