The XIth Annual Meeting in Enghien-les-Bains Marks the Adoption of a New Strategic Framework for the Network
The XIth Annual Meeting of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) took place in Enghien-les-Bains, France, from 30 June to 2 July 2017. This event gathered over 250 participants, including a large number of mayors, representing about 100 Creative Cities.
Following the request formulated by the member cities at the previous meeting held in Östersund, Sweden, the meeting in Enghien-les-Bains has marked the adoption of a new Strategic Framework for the Network. Real roadmap for the years to come, this new framework lays the foundations, strategic objectives and future actions.
“This new strategic framework provides the UNESCO Creative Cities Network with a common vision to move forward together, towards making the most of our Network and cities.” declared Francesco Bandarin, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture. “The UCCN tackles our societies’ challenges and builds more people-centred cities. Being a Creative City is not a trend, it is a reality. It is the way to foster sustainable urban development, in economic, social and environmental terms. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we need the powerful tools that are culture and creativity.”
In this perspective, Mayors of the Network have adopted a Declaration calling on Creative Cities to further integrate culture into their policies and facilitate cooperation based on creativity and innovation.
This XIth Annual Meeting has been a dialogue platform for establishing an overview of insights and partnerships developed by the members of the Network to implement the Mission Statement, for further directing the actions towards the 2030 United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development, and for exploring the perspectives of cross-cutting and multi-stakeholders cooperation. In key points, the Annual Meeting in Enghien-les-Bains enabled to:
- Follow-up with the members designated in December 2015;
- Present a new Strategic Framework for the Network and define the priorities for the coming years;
- Reflect on the future development and strategic objectives of a growing and geographically balanced Network, opened to the cities in the Global South;
- Review the initiatives undertaken by members to promote the contribution of creativity to sustainable urban development
- Establish the building blocks and sustainable funding mechanisms to support the Network’s actions aimed to achieve its new Strategic Framework;
- Review the second round of Membership Monitoring Reports submitted by the cities that have joined the Network between 2007 and 2008;
- Establish working methods enabling Creative Cities to actively contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda.
“We should further our creative potential to build our future cities. We should also look forward to modernity” said Philippe Sueur, Mayor of Enghien-les-Bains, a Creative City of Media Arts since 2013. He notably highlighted the impact of digital technologies for sustainable development, and explained how they can positively impact the ecosystem of cities, especially their public spaces – echoing the theme chosen for this Annual Meeting.
The Secretariat wishes to reiterate its sincerest thanks and congratulations to Enghien-les-Bains, to have hosted this successful XIth Annual Meeting.
See you next year in Krakow-Katowice, Poland, for the XIIth Annual Meeting.
Meeting Documents of the XIth UCCN Annual Meeting