The cities of Safi and Tangier have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, according to an announcement by the UN organization on Friday.
UNESCO explained in a statement that the two Moroccan cities were classified, respectively, in the fields of "Traditional Crafts and Folk Art" and "Literature," in addition to 58 new cities that joined this year the Creative Cities Network, launched by UNESCO in 2004 with the aim of supporting cities that bet on culture and creativity as two means to achieve development. With this new classification, which coincides with the celebration of World Cities Day for the year 2025, the network now includes 408 cities distributed across more than 100 countries, recognized by the UN organization for their commitment to developing creative industries and cultural life, according to a statement by the UN organization, which indicated that the UNESCO Creative Cities will be invited to participate in the annual conference of the network for the year 2026, which will be hosted by the city of Essaouira, classified as a creative city in the field of music since 2019. In this context, the statement quoted UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay as saying, "UNESCO Creative Cities show that culture and creative industries can be tangible engines of development. With the addition of 58 new cities, we are strengthening a network where creativity accompanies local initiatives, attracts investments, and strengthens social ties." During this year, a new creative field, architecture, was added to the seven existing fields, which are traditional crafts and folk art, digital arts, design, cinema, gastronomy, literature, and music. The chosen cities are distinguished by their active involvement in supporting culture and creativity, as well as their innovative approaches in the field of urban planning. The UN organization added that "cities that invest in cultural sectors – from music to design, through cooking and digital arts – develop tangible strategies that respond to local needs, and at the same time contribute to achieving major global goals, such as the goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Plan." The UNESCO Creative Cities Network aims to encourage cooperation between cities, exchange experiences, and unify efforts to find common solutions, enabling its members to benefit from experiences and enhance the economic, social, and environmental impact of their cultural policies. The organization explained that this initiative stems from a firm conviction that "these dynamics essentially arise at the local level," as cities, by valuing local skills, supporting creative professionals, and engaging residents, can contribute to creating job opportunities, revitalizing their economies, and strengthening their social cohesion.
