Kozhikode, Gwalior added to UNESCO creative cities list

Kozhikode is a permanent venue for the annual Kerala Literature Festival and hosts several other book festivals. Gwalior has a rich and diverse musical heritage.

Kozhikode in Kerala and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh have made it to the prestigious creative cities list of UNESCO for contributions in the fields of literature and music respectively.

The announcement was made by UNESCO on its official website on October 31, which is designated as World Cities Day.

“On World Cities Day, 55 cities join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), following their designation by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. New cities were acknowledged for their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity as part of their development strategies, and displaying innovative practices in human-centred urban planning,” the statement said.

On November 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a congratulatory message on X : “India’s cultural vibrancy shines brighter on the global stage with Kozhikode’s rich literary legacy and Gwalior’s melodious heritage now joining the esteemed UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Congratulations to the people of Kozhikode and Gwalior on this remarkable achievement!”

“As we celebrate this international recognition, our nation reaffirms its commitment to preserving and promoting our diverse cultural traditions. These accolades also reflect the collective efforts of every individual dedicated to nurturing and sharing our unique cultural narratives,” he added.

Union Culture Minister G. Kishen Reddy said: “A proud moment for India. Kozhikode in Kerala has been designated as the UNESCO ‘City of Literature’ and Gwalior as the ‘City of Music’ in the latest UNESCO list of Creative Cities Network. These cities get acknowledged and recognition for their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity. Congratulations to all stakeholders!”

With the latest additions, the creative cities network now counts 350 cities in more than one hundred countries, representing seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music.

Kozhikode is a permanent venue for the annual Kerala Literature Festival and hosts several other book festivals. Gwalior has a rich and diverse musical heritage encompassing classical Hindustani music, folk music, and devotional music. The city also has some prestigious music institutes and hosts popular festivals.

With the latest additions, the UCCN now counts 350 cities in more than a hundred countries, representing seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music. Some of the other cities added to the list are Bukhara for Crafts and Folk Art, Casablanca for Media Arts, Kathmandu for Films, and Rio de Janeiro for Literature.

The newly designated Creative Cities are invited to participate in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference (July 1-5, 2024) in Braga, Portugal, under the theme “Bringing Youth to the table for the next decade”, the UNESCO statement said.