The 17^th Annual Conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (referred to as UCCN or the Network) convened in Enghien-les-Bains, a UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts in France, on 23 and 24 June. Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and Cultural Affairs Bureau participated in this major annual event of the Network to strengthen exchange and cooperation with Creatives Cites from worldwide while introducing Macao as a Culture City of East Asia 2025, to raise Macao’s international profile and influence.

UCCN’s largest annual event

Themed as “Culture and Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the Future of UNESCO Creative Cities”, UCCN Annual Conference gathered over 450 representatives of some 200 member cities in seven creative fields (crafts and folk art, media arts, film, design, gastronomy, literature and music) this year. MGTO Director and Macao SAR (China) Focal Point to UCCN, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, and President of Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man, along with other delegates from Macao, attended the Annual Conference and the Cluster Meeting for the Creative Cities of Gastronomy in Enghien-les-Bains.

The two-day program comprised the Mayors’ Forum, Thematic Sessions, work meetings, Creative Cities Fair and gastronomic exchange, among other activities. Delegates discussed perspectives on Integrating AI into Creative Sectors for Sustainable Urban Development and other topics on the agenda.

Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, Ernesto Ottone R., and Mayor of Enghien-les-Bains, Philippe Sueur, delivered welcome remarks that lifted the curtain on the Annual Conference. Secretary of the UCCN, Denise Bax, presented the activity report of the UCCN Secretariat at the opening ceremony. During the Conference, Cluster Coordinator of the Cities of Gastronomy, UCCN and Focal Point of San Antonio of USA, Colleen Swain, also delivered the activity report of the Creative Cities of Gastronomy.

Learn from the experiences of Creative Cities of Gastronomy

At the Cluster Meeting for the Creative Cities of Gastronomy, Macao and other Creative Cities of Gastronomy shared their initiatives and practices to shape more sustainable and innovative development in the field of gastronomy, learning from other cities’ experiences in creating positive impact to better Macao’s development as a Creative City of Gastronomy.

MGTO Director Senna Fernandes stated that since Macao’s designation as a “Culture City of East Asia 2025”, the Macao Special Administrative Region Government has been collaborating with different governmental entities and enterprises to organize activities that bring out the essence of the theme “East-West Encounter, Asia in Harmony”. She highlighted that the second “International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao” is coming up this July after its inaugural edition garnered wide acclaim last year. Harnessing gastronomy and creativity, the event aims to foster preservation, innovation and exchange among Creative Cities of Gastronomy from worldwide, contributing to actualization of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Senna Fernandes anticipated that the delegates of Creative Cities of Gastronomy will lead an insightful dialogue on their Creative Cities’ development at the Exchange Meeting for UCCN Creative Cities Network Members during the Fest in Macao.

Established in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network has grown to encompass 350 member cities from over 100 countries in seven creative fields namely crafts and folk art, media arts, film, design, gastronomy, literature and music. This year, the Network will call for applications in architecture as a newly-included field and expand to cover eight creative fields in total, fostering exchange, collaboration and concerted development among Creative Cities around the world. The UCCN Annual Conference is hosted by a designated Creative City each year. Following Macao’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2017, MGTO has started attending the UCCN Annual Conference on behalf of Macao, China, while vigorously engaging in the events organized by UCCN’s member cities. The above endeavors are made as part of the work plan in progress to propel Macao’s development as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, striving to enrich the city’s dynamic as a world centre of tourism and leisure.