The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated Bangkok and Sukhothai among 66 new members of its Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

Bangkok was designated a "Creative City of Design” and Sukhothai a "Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art,” according to an announcement made by UNESCO on 30 October 2019.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network now counts a total of 246 cities. The member cities that form part of the Network come from all continents and regions with different income levels and populations.

They work together toward a common mission: placing creativity and the creative economy at the core of their urban development plans to make cities safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Earlier, Phuket was named a "Creative City of Gastronomy” in 2015, while Chiang Mai was named a "Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art” in 2017.

"All over the world, these cities, each in its own way, make culture the pillar, not an accessory, of their strategy,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. "This favors political and social innovation and is particularly important for the young generations.”

Other cities chosen to join the network this year include Ambon in Indonesia for music, Cebu City in the Philippines and Hanoi in Vietnam for design, Mumbai in India for film, Nanjing in China for literature, and Bendigo in Australia for gastronomy.

Since the first nomination in 2015, UNESCO has listed Creative Cities in seven categories: crafts and folk arts, media arts, film, design, gastronomy, literature and music.