Bangkok Creative City Dialogue
Brief History
In 2004, United Nation’s Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) with the objective of promoting cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic tool for sustainable urban development in economic, social, culture and environmental dimensions.
Member cities in this network are responsible for exchanging and sharing experiences, knowledge and case studies, as well as creating partnerships that will help promote and expand creativity and cultural industry. Supporting cultural rights and placing culture at the heart of sustainable development is also among the main objectives, while supporting projects initiated by member cities where creativity is used as a tool for development through cooperation with government and private sectors as well as the public. The member cities should also aim to promote creative production, distribution, activities and cultural-related products and services. Developing one-stop creative ideas and innovation and providing job opportunities for creative individuals and professions are also among the key objectives. Member cities aim to provide easy access for consumers to reach culturally related products and services, especially for the underprivileged groups in society, using culture and creativity as crucial elements in making strategic plans for the cities. Implementation of programs and activities should help drive the cities forward and meet the common objective of the UNESCO 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
UNESCO Creative Cities Network is divided into seven categories: Literature, Design, Film, Music, Crafts and Folk Art, Media Arts and Gastronomy. Currently, there are 295 member cities from 90 countries worldwide. As for Thailand, UNESCO has selected and officially announced five creative cities as members of the network. In 2017 and 2021, Phuket and Phetchaburi were placed under the Gastronomy category, respectively. In 2019 and 2021, Chiang Mai and Sukhothai were named under the Crafts and Folk Art category, respectively, and Bangkok was named creative city under the Design category in 2019.
About Bangkok Creative City Dialogue
Cooperative meeting between UNESCO Creative Cities Network members in the Asian and European regions
In 2019, UNESCO selected and officially announced Bangkok as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) under the Design category (UCCN – Bangkok City of Design). To ensure that Bangkok will achieve members’ objectives, Creative Economy Agency (Public Organization) or CEA, as UCCN - Bangkok City of Design representative, recognizes the necessity of organizing the Bangkok Creative City Dialogue, which will provide an important platform for bringing all members together. This important gathering welcomes member cities from the ASEAN and European regions which reflects the readiness and potential of Bangkok city as a member of the UCCN as a host for international meetings. CEA has constantly worked to promote and ensure the continuity of UCCN activities, explored the possibility for future cooperation among members and initiated development plans for creative cities that will help raise the living quality and welfare of the people while promoting future investments and tourism.
Bangkok Creative City Dialogue will be organized at TCDC Bangkok on February 10th, 2023. Representing members of UCCN from ten creative cities from eight countries worldwide will be participating at this gathering including Bangkok, the host city. These member cities are 1) Asahikawa City of Design, Japan; 2) Bandung City of Design, Indonesia; 3) Bangkok City of Design, Thailand; 4) Kuching City of Gastronomy, Malaysia; 5) Nagoya City of Design, Japan; 6) Perth City of Crafts and Folk Art, United Kingdom; 7) Phetchaburi City of Gastronomy, Thailand; 8) Seoul City of Design, South Korea; 9) Singapore City of Design, Singapore; and 10) Wuhan City of Design, China
There are also three representing member cities of the UCCN from Thailand, namely Phetchaburi, City of Gastronomy; Phuket, City of Gastronomy and Sukhothai, City of Crafts and Folk Art. Members of the Thailand Creative District Network (TCDN) are also represented at this meeting: Chiang Rai, Nakhon Pathom, Nan, Phrae, and Suphanburi. Representatives of ASEAN countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, Myanmar, and Vietnam are among the participants. Bangkok, as a host city, welcomes members from 22 cities from 13 countries around the world to Thailand for this special gathering.
Activities for the Bangkok Creative City Dialogue divide into three major sessions
First session: 9.00 - 12.00 hrs.
The morning session or Experience sharing session will be organized under the theme “Becoming and creating impact as a creative city”. The session will focus on presenting case studies and discussing the positive impact of becoming a creative city under the UCCN by ten cities from three categories, namely
1) Asahikawa City of Design, Japan
Presentation
2) Bandung City of Design, Indonesia
Presentation
3) Bangkok City of Design, Thailand
Presentation
4) Kuching City of Gastronomy, Malaysia
Presentation
5) Nagoya City of Design, Japan
Presentation
6) Perth City of Crafts and Folk Art, United Kingdom
Presentation
7) Phetchaburi City of Gastronomy, Thailand
Presentation
8) Seoul City of Design, South Korea
Presentation
9) Singapore City of Design, Singapore
Presentation
10) Wuhan City of Design, China
Presentation
Remark: The experience sharing session will be broadcasted live on Feb 10th, 2023, 9.00 - 12.00 hrs. via 2 Facebook pages,
- Creative Economy Agency (Thai)
- Bangkok Design Week (English)
Second session: 13.30 - 15.30 hrs.
The early afternoon session will be a roundtable session under the theme “What goals or objectives including action plans will your city be achieving in the next four years?” to find out possible cooperation among members of the creative cities.
Third session: 15.30 - 19.00 hrs.
Members will have the opportunity to visit the Bangkok Design Week 2023, which will be organized during 4 - 12 February 2023 under the concept of “urban‘NICE’zation”, in nine creative districts throughout Bangkok. This design festival is an important tool to drive Bangkok forward as a City of Design under the UCCN.
Watch the experience sharing session
LIVE in Thai
LIVE in English
Recap of experience sharing session
“Becoming and Creating Impact as a Creative City”
Recap of roundtable discussion
“What Goals or Objectives Including Action Plans Will Your City Be Achieving in the Next Four Years?”
Press Release
Bangkok Creative City Dialogue