ISLAMABAD – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated Lahore as a member of the UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN) along-with 65 other cities of the world.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay while announcing UNESCO’s decision in Paris said that these cities were selected as member of UCCN in recognition of their efforts to place creativity and the creative economy at the core of their urban development plans to make cities safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable and in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, according to a message received on Wednesday.
Permanent Representative to UNESCO and Ambassador of Pakistan to France Moin ul Haque welcomed UNESCO’s decision to recognize Lahore’s historic role as being a centre of cultural activities and artistic & literary pursuits.
He said that Lahore’s designation as the City of Literature would boost Lahore’s cultural importance around the world, attract internationally acclaimed global literary figures to Pakistan and would greatly help in improving Pakistan’s soft image and promoting tourism in the country.
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 now counts a total of 246 cities.
The member cities that form part of the Network come from all continents and regions with different income levels and populations. They work together towards a common mission: placing creativity and the creative economy at the core of their urban development plans to make cities safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
