From Creative Cities Network
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The Network serves as an international platform of exchange and collaboration among cities for the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, notably Goal 11 on ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’. The Network is composed of 246 cities from over 80 UNESCO Member States, in 7 creative fields : Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.
Urban areas are today’s principal breeding grounds for the development of new strategies, policies and initiatives aimed at making culture and creativity a driving force for sustainable development and urban regeneration through the stimulation of growth and innovation and the promotion of social cohesion, citizen well-being and inter-cultural dialogue. In this way cities respond to the major challenges with which they are confronted, such as the economic crisis, environmental impacts, demographic growth and social tensions.
Not to mention that cities are today home to more than half the world’s population and three quarters of its economic activity, including a large share of the creative economy.
The crucial role of cities in promoting sustainable development focused on people and the respect of human rights is notably recognised in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which includes among its 17 goals a specific objective to ‘make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’ and identifies culture and creativity as one of the essential levers for action in this context.
It is first and foremost at local level that culture and creativity are lived and practised on a daily basis. It is therefore by stimulating cultural industries, supporting creation, promoting citizen and cultural participation and approaching the public sphere with a new perspective that public authorities, in cooperation with the private sector and civil society, can make the difference and support a more sustainable urban development suited to the practical needs of the local population.
In this context, cooperation and the sharing of experience and knowledge is crucial for making creativity a lever for urban development and conceiving of new solutions to tackle common challenges. In this regard, UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network offers unparalleled opportunities for cities to draw on peer learning processes and collaborative projects in order to fully capitalize on their creative assets and use this as a basis for building sustainable, inclusive and balanced development in economic, cultural, environmental and social terms.
Under the current global challenging situation, responding to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is a shared objective for UNESCO and its stakeholders. The UNESCO Creative Cities Network provides an opportunity for cities around the world to stand together and undertake collective action.
In this regard, the Secretariat called on all member cities to share their innovative actions being implemented in response to this situation, particularly those through culture and creativity. Launched in mid-March, this initiative aims to facilitate the dissemination of useful information and collective knowledge to inspire effective action and measures in Creative Cities and many others around the world.
Facing the global outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), the 246 members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network have been mobilized to further reinforce solidarity and collaboration within the Network. More than ever, the power of culture and creativity should be leveraged to cope with the evolving situation, and further aim to strengthen cooperation among cities and reinforce ties between people and communities.
Since the launch of the initiative, the UCCN Secretariat has received many valuable contributions from member cities in all seven Creative Fields across the world. These meaningful city-led initiatives highlight the mobilization of the cities’ cultural and creative capital in addressing COVID-19 through various aspects such as education, sciences and technology, social inclusion, assistance to professional and artists as well as the disadvantaged groups.
With a view to further enhancing cooperation between Creative Cities and providing effective and collective solutions to this unprecedented situation, the UCCN Secretariat has also provided its official support to initiatives in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which demonstrates a strong inter-city or international dimension, with direct involvement or collaboration with member cities and other cities from around the world.