Description

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Picture Courtesy: DDNEWS

Context

Q: When did UNESCO officially award Lucknow this title?

UNESCO announced the designation on October 31, 2025 (World Cities Day), during the 43rd Session of its General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Lucknow, known for its Awadhi cuisine and culinary heritage, was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy at the 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Uzbekistan.

About the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

Origin

Launched in 2004, the UCCN is a global initiative by UNESCO that connects cities using creativity, culture, and innovation as tools for sustainable urban development.

Objective

To encourage cooperation among cities, promote creative industries, and integrate culture into local development policies—supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Key Features

Encompasses 350+ cities worldwide across seven creative fields: Gastronomy, Literature, Music, Film, Design, Crafts & Folk Arts, and Media Arts.
Promotes creative economies, sustainable tourism, and inclusive growth.
Recognizes and safeguards intangible cultural heritage.
Promote international collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building.
Member cities are required to undertake collaborative projects and report progress periodically to retain their designation.

India in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

City	Category	Year of Designation
Jaipur	Crafts and Folk Art	2015
Varanasi	Music	2015
Chennai	Music	2017
Mumbai	Film	2019
Hyderabad	Gastronomy	2019
Srinagar	Crafts and Folk Art	2021
Kozhikode	Literature	2023
Gwalior	Music	2023
Lucknow	Gastronomy	2025

Source: DDNEWS

Attempt Daily Quiz

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Consider the following statements about the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN):

It was launched in 2004 and covers seven creative fields including Gastronomy and Literature.
India has only two cities designated under the 'City of Gastronomy' category.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 2 only

C) Both 1 and 2

D) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C

Statement 1 is correct: The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities that use creativity for sustainable urban development. The network is organized around seven creative fields, which include Gastronomy and Literature, among others.

Statement 2 is correct: India has two cities designated as a 'City of Gastronomy'. The first was Hyderabad, and with the recent addition of Lucknow, India now has two cities in this category.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

UNESCO recognizes Lucknow's rich Awadhi culinary heritage and living food traditions as globally significant, positioning the city within a worldwide network that uses creativity to drive sustainable urban development.

UNESCO announced the designation on October 31, 2025 (World Cities Day), during the 43rd Session of its General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The state's Directorate of Tourism prepared a detailed dossier documenting recipes, cooking traditions, and oral histories from local chefs and families, which Union Ministry of Culture then submitted as the official nomination to UNESCO.