The capital of Turkmenistan has joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the “Design” category, according to the official website of the organization.

Ashgabat has become part of the UCCN along with 54 other cities around the world, which are committed to developing partnerships to promote the development of the cultural sector. This was announced by UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay.

“The new cities were recognized for their strong commitment to using culture and creativity as part of their development strategies and demonstrating innovative practices in humanistic urban planning”, - UNESCO said in a press release.

Not today The UNESCO Creative Cities Network includes 350 cities in seven creative areas: “Crafts and Folk Arts”, “Design”, “Film”, “Gastronomy”, “Literature”, “Media Arts” and “Music”.

UCCN is an effective collaborative tool and reflects a shared commitment to supporting creativity and innovation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Cities that join the Network will be invited to participate in UNESCO's annual conference, which will be from July 1 to 5, 2024 in Portugal, with the theme “Bringing youth to the table for the next decade”.