From India, Srinagar joins Chennai and Varanasi (both UNESCO cities of music), Jaipur (crafts and folk arts), Mumbai (film).
According to a release posted on the UNESCO site, 49 cities have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) following their designation by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, in recognition of their commitment to placing culture and creativity at the heart of their development and to sharing knowledge and good practices.
Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO (INCCU) had recommended Srinagar and Gwalior for inclusion in the coveted list, but only Jammu and Kashmir’s summer capital made it to the list this year. However, Chennai and Varanasi (both UNESCO cities of music), Jaipur (crafts and folk arts), Mumbai (film) have already joined this list earlier.
The Network now numbers 295 cities reaching 90 countries that invest in culture and creativity – crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts, and music – to advance sustainable urban development.