Unesco Creative Cities

UNESCO

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is a specialised agency working to strengthen international cooperation in education, science, culture and information. By developing tools and knowledge and fostering collaboration, UNESCO works with its more than 190 Member States to create solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time and to promote a world of greater equality and peace.

UNESCO’s highest governing body is the General Conference, whose decisions are followed up by UNESCO’s Executive Board and implemented by Member States, supported by the Secretariat, headquartered in Paris. The Swedish National Commission for UNESCO serves as Sweden’s national commission and advises the Government on UNESCO’s activities, as well as promoting awareness of UNESCO in Sweden.

UNESCO Creative Cities Network

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was established in 2004 and has over 400 member cities. The network aims to promote cooperation between cities where creativity is a strategic factor for sustainable development. In 2015, the 2030 Agenda was adopted: the UN’s global goals for sustainable social, environmental and economic development—17 goals to be achieved in all countries by 2030. One specific goal highlighted is to make cities safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable. In 2022, the MONDIACULT Declaration was adopted, emphasising, among other things, the importance of human rights and the crucial role of culture in contributing to sustainable development. In 2024, the network adopted the Braga Manifesto, which underlines the importance of local engagement in implementing MONDIACULT—an approach that reinforces the role of culture in global development beyond 2030.

Gothenburg: a Member of the Creative Cities Network

Within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, cities work in one of eight fields: crafts and folk art, media arts, film, design, gastronomy, literature, architecture and music. The network operates through joint initiatives and working groups, as well as cooperation and knowledge exchange between cities, to strengthen cultural assets and use them in the effort towards a more sustainable world. Gothenburg became Sweden’s first UNESCO City of Literature in 2021. In addition to Gothenburg, Sweden is also home to Östersund City of Gastronomy (2010), Norrköping City of Music (2017), and, as of 2025, Lund City of Literature (2025), which is Gothenburg’s sister city within the network.

Photo: Freedom of expression without borders—UNESCO and the Creative Cities. Discussion on the Freedom of Expression Stage at the Gothenburg Book Fair 2025. Joakim Albrektson and Sandra Wall, Focal Points for the City of Literature Gothenburg and Norrköping City of Music respectively; Maria Wilenius and Thérèse Amnéus, Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General of the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO. Photo: Malin Nilsson