Cebu’s inclusion in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Network of Creative Cities affirms the wellspring of creative talent in the Queen City of the South, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Friday as it hailed the recognition.
On October 30, UNESCO listed Cebu in its Network of Creative Cities along with 65 other cities across the world under the Design category.
“This international recognition on the Design Category affirms the wellspring of creative talents manifested in the furniture, fashion accessories and other sectors, the latest of which is in the global transportation hub (GTH) sector, evident in the first ever Resort Airport in the world – the Mactan-Cebu International Airport,” the DOT said in a statement.
“The DOT lauds the leaders, shakers and movers of Cebu City for their significant involvement and active efforts leading to the inclusion of Cebu City in the list of the UNESCO Network of Creative Cities,” it added.
In November 2017, UNESCO placed Baguio, the first in the Philippines, on its Creative Cities Network for the city’s distinguished crafts and folk art.
For its part, the DOT rallied more cities in the Philippines to join Cebu and Baguio in the prestigious network and “be considered as icons of sustainable urban development”.
UNESCO describes creative cities as “laboratories of ideas and innovative practices,” which brings tangible contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through innovative thinking and action.
“All over the world, these cities, each in its way, make culture the pillar, not an accessory, of their strategy,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in announcing the 66 cities on October 30.
“This favors political and social innovation and is particularly important for the young generations,” she added.
The new 66 UNESCO Creative Cities are:
Afyonkarahisar (Turkey) – Gastronomy
Ambon (Indonesia) – Music
Angoulême (France) – Literature
Areguá (Paraguay) – Crafts and Folk Art
Arequipa (Peru) – Gastronomy
Asahikawa (Japan) – Design
Ayacucho (Peru) – Crafts and Folk Art
Baku (Azerbaijan) – Design
Ballarat (Australia) – Crafts and Folk Art
Bandar Abbas (Iran [Islamic Republic of]) – Crafts and Folk Art
Bangkok (Thailand) – Design
Beirut (Lebanon) – Literature
Belo Horizonte (Brazil) – Gastronomy
Bendigo (Australia) – Gastronomy
Bergamo (Italy) – Gastronomy
Biella (Italy) – Crafts and Folk Art
Caldas da Rainha (Portugal) – Crafts and Folk Art
Cebu City (Philippines) – Design
Essaouira (Morocco) – Music
Exeter (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) – Literature
Fortaleza (Brazil) – Design
Hanoi (Vietnam) – Design
Havana (Cuba) – Music
Hyderabad (India) – Gastronomy
Jinju (Republic of Korea) – Crafts and Folk Art
Kargopol (Russian Federation) – Crafts and Folk Art
Karlsruhe (Germany) – Media Arts
Kazan (Russian Federation) – Music
Kırşehir (Turkey) – Music
Kuhmo (Finland) – Literature
Lahore (Pakistan) – Literature
Leeuwarden (Netherlands) – Literature
Leiria (Portugal) – Music
Lliria (Spain) – Music
Mérida (Mexico) – Gastronomy
Metz (France) – Music
Muharraq (Bahrain) – Design
Mumbai (India) – Film
Nanjing (China) – Literature
Odessa (Ukraine) – Literature
Overstrand Hermanus (South Africa) – Gastronomy
Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) – Music
Portoviejo (Ecuador) – Gastronomy
Potsdam (Germany) – Film
Querétaro (Mexico) – Design
Ramallah (Palestine) – Music
San José (Costa Rica) – Design
Sanandaj (Iran [Islamic Republic of]) – Music
Santiago de Cali (Colombia) – Media Arts
Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) – Music
Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – Film
Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) – Crafts and Folk Art
Slemani (Iraq) – Literature
Sukhothai (Thailand) – Crafts and Folk Art
Trinidad (Cuba) – Crafts and Folk Art
Valladolid (Spain) – Film
Valledupar (Colombia) – Music
Valparaíso (Chile) – Music
Veszprém (Hungary) – Music
Viborg (Denmark) – Media Arts
Viljandi (Estonia) – Crafts and Folk Art
Vranje (Serbia) – Music
Wellington (New Zealand) – Film
Wonju (Republic of Korea) – Literature
Wrocław (Poland) – Literature
Yangzhou (China) – Gastronomy
The UNESCO Network of Creative Cities now counts a total of 246 cities. (PNA)
