To support the creative and cultural sector, foster cultural diversity and encourage the inhabitants’ active participation in local creative programmes, Sanandaj (Iran), a UNESCO Creative City of Music, organized the Khaneghahi (mystic) music festival in November 2020.

The event gathered musicians and bands, from several Iranian cities, including Isfahan, a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art.

In addition, the city recently launched a webinar dedicated to the interlinkages between Creative Cities and emerging technologies. Renowned academicians from the fields of music, arts and culture, and representatives of creative and knowledge-based start-ups joined the event, along with Sanandaj and Bandar Abbas - a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art.

Based on Creative Cities’ experiences and good practices, the webinar invited the participants to discuss how emerging technologies and IT services can support cities in designing new policies in the concerned field as well as contribute to the achievement of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network’s objectives. Other discussed topics revolved around the growing scope of entrepreneurship in the music sector.