Culture’s evolving role in sustainable urban development and the impact of artificial intelligence on creative sectors were the main topics discussed at the 17th Annual Conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), which took place in Enghien-les-Bains, France, on 23 and 24 June.
Representatives from the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Cultural Affairs Bureau were in attendance, joining more than 450 delegates from around 200 cities worldwide.
The SAR has been a UNESCO-designated Creative City of Gastronomy since 2017, and its participation at the conference served as an opportunity to introduce Macao’s status as a “Culture City of East Asia 2025,” according to a statement from MGTO.
Speaking at the cluster meeting for the Creative Cities of Gastronomy, MGTO director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes told her audience about Macao’s upcoming International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, which she said aimed to “foster preservation, innovation and exchange” among fellow Creative Cities of Gastronomy from around the world.
[See more: Macao shares gastronomy insights at global Creative Cities meeting]
The two-day programme also included a mayors’ forum, themed sessions, work meetings, a Creative Cities Fair and gastronomic exchanges.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was established in 2004 and 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, architecture is expected to be officially added as a field.
Macao’s 2025 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest is scheduled to take place 11-20 July at Fisherman’s Wharf. Last year’s inaugural event attracted more than 100,000 participants.
The SAR’s status as a Creative City of Gastronomy reflects its unique Macanese cuisine, large-scale food festivals and vibrant culinary scene, according to UNESCO.
