Created in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) aims to promote cooperation with and amongst cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. By joining the world-renowned Network, Da Nang as well as other cities will have the chance to successfully access experience exchanges, and promote partnerships, creativity and cultural industries, and enhance the public participation in cultural life and integration for urban development planning.

Da Nang has been preparing necessary and sufficient conditions to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). In the photo is a scene of a prosperous urban corner in Da Nang. Photo: NGUYEN XUAN TU

The Network covers seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts, Film, Design, Gastronomy, Literature and Music. The 246 cities which currently make up the Network work together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.

Of the 246 city members, 14 cities are in China, whilst ten in South Korea, nine in Japan, and ten in ASEAN, including Ha Noi, which joined the Network in October 2019.

By joining the Network, cities commit to sharing their best practices and developing partnerships involving the public and private sectors as well as civil society in order to strengthen the creation, production, distribution and dissemination of cultural activities, goods and services; develop hubs of creativity and innovation and broaden opportunities for creators and professionals in the cultural sector; improve access to and participation in cultural life, in particular for marginalized or vulnerable groups and individuals; and fully integrate culture and creativity into sustainable development plans.

Fully aware of the great benefits and significance of joining UCCN, in 2012, young staff members from the Da Nang Department of Science and Technology gave an idea for Da Nang’s membership in the Network at the second Da Nang Construction and Development Idea Contest - 2012 organised and won the third prize.

It is a must-do for Da Nang to accelerate its participation in the Network as soon as possible for the following reasons.

Firstly, in the current context of deep international integration, Da Nang is taking the first step towards building itself into a creative and startup city. Joining the Network is in line with the city’s future development orientations, enabling it to learn valuable experience and effective models of other creative cities in the world in a prompt fashion.

Secondly, becoming a UCCN member will facilitate Da Nang to promote its tourism strengths based on its rich cultural and creative resources, thus laying a foundation for the city to reach another creative field: hi-tech innovation.

Thirdly, Da Nang's brand will be significantly spread on the global scale through the Network, and UNESCO heritage sites in Central Viet Nam will secure more connections with Da Nang.

Fourthly, Joining the Network demonstrates a strong commitment to put culture at the centre of the city development strategies. Therefore, the city can effectively promote the unlimited source of human creativity in the era of the digital economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Fifth, Ha Noi is the first Vietnamese city to join the Network since securing its membership in October 2019. Thanks to this favourable fact, Da Nang can follow in the capital city’s tracks to build up roadmaps for becoming a member of the Network.

The UCCN Call for Applications is open to cities from all UNESCO Member States and Associate Members. Through the specific Cooperation Framework for the UCCN Call, UNESCO continues its efforts in strengthening the geographical representation and cultural diversity of its Creative Cities Network.

Interested cities are encouraged to submit their applications using the official standard Form by June 30, 2021 (midnight CET). Applications received after the deadline, incomplete and/or transmitted in a different format will not be considered. The application review results will be announced in November.

It is high time for Da Nang to complete all application procedures to secure an honourable berth in UCCN. This will serve as an important premise for the city to prepare brand communications programmes on the domestic and international scales during the post-pandemic recovery period of Viet Nam, and the world at large, in the coming time.

Da Nang can consult with experienced experts to select one of the seven creative fields to complete the profile. It is highly recommended to choose the Design field which is associated with startups and innovation which match its development orientation policy in the coming time.

Reporting by LE DUC VIEN – Translating by A.T