UNESCO Creative Cities Network to focus on sustainable urban development

USPA NEWS - From 6 to 8 June, the 2nd summit of UNESCO´s of Creative Cities Network will bring together mayors and deputy mayors from all parts of the world to examine how the Network can contribute to sustainable development in urban environments, in line with UNESCO´s Culture and Sustainable Urban Development

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, will open the meeting with Wang Anshun, Mayor of Beijing, and Yuan Guiren, Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China. Debates during the summit will examine a wide range of relevant topics and set a research agenda concerning both urban creativity and sustainable development. (full programme).  The UNESCO Creative Cities Network currently numbers 116 Members from 54 countries covering Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media Arts.----------------------------------------------------------------------------  On the occasion of the summit, the Vice Prime Minister of the People´s Republic of China, Yandong Liu, and Ms Bokova will launch the International Centre for Creativity and Sustainable Development, established under the auspices of UNESCO in Bejing. UNESCO´s Assistant Director-General for Culture, Francesco Bandarin, will present the n Global Report, Re|Shaping Cultural Policies, part of UNESCO´s work for the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More than one hundred participants from all over the world are expected to attend the Summit, including mayors and policy-makers of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, academics, and experts. The event will serve as a dialogue and discussion platform for the implementation of the international development agenda focusing on research and policy-making to explore effective ways to integrate culture and creativity in local development strategies.  The summit will also support UNESCO´s contribution to the Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat-III), which will take place next October in Quito, Ecuador.