Cebu City Joins UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Cebu City, proudly joins Baguio City in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, as Creative City of Design. UNESCO announced the news during the first week of November. Along with 65 other cities, Cebu City becomes part of the prestigious network that seeks to promote the growth of creative economies.

Baguio City first joined the network in 2017 as Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. Cebu City applied to be part of the network through the Regional Development Council, led by internationally-renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue.

Cebu City As Creative City: Public-Private Collaboration

The Queen City of the South submitted its application in July 2019, made possible through the collaboration of the private and public sector. Government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry and the local government unit worked with private groups such as the MATIQ Hub and academe like UP-Cebu to put together the application.

According to Butch Carungay of MATIQ Hub, the city placed its bid for the “highest category which is design,” but he admits that a lot more still needs to be done in terms of infrastructure.  Among the plans they want to put in motion is the setting up of a Design Museum where everything design-related can be hosted.

Another plan is to establish the Creative Cebu grid, an association of private and public groups that will provide support for the growth of Cebu’s creative sector.

Cebu City As Creative City of Design

Even before the UNESCO designation, Cebu has been spearheading in the arena of design, particularly in fashion, furniture, jewelry and accessories. In 2018, the first Cebu Design Week was held, gathering thousands of designers and artists and their supporters to showcase the city’s creative minds.

UNESCO acknowledges the role that creative cities can play in reaching the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. According to Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay: “All over the world, these cities, each in its way, make culture the pillar, not an accessory, of their strategy. This favours political and social innovation and is particularly important for the young generations.”