Alex Trelinski
VALENCIA’S record in encouraging new designs has helped it become a UNESCO Creative City in an announcement made on Tuesday to coincide with World Cities Day.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is a laboratory of innovative ideas and experiences, in which, every four years, the different members produce a report in which they propose their own initiatives, making use of culture and creativity as the main assets of the sustainable urban development of their area.
In putting forward Valencia, the Spanish National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO said that ‘design has historically played a role in the city’ including being designated the World Design Capital 2022.
Valencia Mayor, Jose Maria Catala, said: “This is an international recognition of an important part of the city’s economic and cultural DNA, and by joining the Network, it is a great opportunity to continue promoting the internationalisation of Valencia, with design and creativity as the main attractions of its culture and economic-social development.”
“The cities in our Creative Cities Network are leading the way when it comes to enhancing access to culture and galvanising the power of creativity for urban resilience and development,” said Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General.
Bilbao for design is already part of the Network, which also welcomed Granada on Tuesday in the same category.
There are seven sections to which cities can aspire: crafts and popular arts, digital arts, cinema, design, gastronomy, literature and music.
Additionally, in the Valencian Community there are other UNESCO brandings such as Denia (for Gastronomy), Manises (for Crafts and Popular Arts) or Llliria (for Music).
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