Four Chinese cities picked as UNESCO Creative Cities

PARIS -- The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) has picked up four Chinese cities to join its Creative Cities Network (UCCN), the organization said on Tuesday.

Created in 2004, the UCCN is covering seven creative fields, namely Crafts & Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media Arts.

The four Chinese cities, Changsha (media arts), Macao Special Administrative Region (gastronomy), Qingdao (film) and Wuhan (design) are among 64 cities from 44 countries and regions which join the network.

The UNESCO said on Tuesday that the four Chinese cities were picked for their efforts to "develop and exchange innovative best practices to promote creative industries, strengthen participation in cultural life and integrate culture into sustainable urban development policies."

The Paris-based UN body said in a statement that "Within the framework of the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda, the Network provides a platform for cities to demonstrate culture's role as an enabler for building sustainable cities."