UNESCO Picks Essaouira as Hosts of 2026 Creatives Cities Network Conference
The vote, cast digitally by member cities of the Creative Cities Network, came to a resounding conclusion: Essaouira emerged not just as a contender, but as the clear favorite.
Since 2019, when the city was designated a UNESCO Creative City in the field of Music, Essaouira has played its part with flair — proving that creativity isn't a luxury, but a lifeline.
Nestled between the Atlantic and the desert, Essaouira pulses with rhythm. From the hypnotic beat of Gnaoua to the improvisational grace of jazz beneath the argan trees, music has become both the city's signature and its soul.
This is not simply a place where traditions are preserved — it's a city where traditions evolve, blend, and burst into life.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Conference brings together more than 350 cities worldwide, each representing a unique expression of culture and creativity — from gastronomy to design, from media arts to crafts.
The 2026 edition in Essaouira will focus on a theme yet to be unveiled, but its core mission remains: to champion sustainable local cultural policies and global cooperation.
Beyond panels and policy, the conference promises to spotlight the very spirit of Essaouira: a city where ancient medinas, Jewish quarters, and coastal breezes whisper stories of coexistence, exchange, and imagination.
UNESCO's collaboration with Essaouira is more than symbolic. It aligns with global efforts like MONDIACULT 2025 and supports the pursuit of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 11, which envisions inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities.
In 2026, the world won't just come to Essaouira for a conference. It will come to experience a city of winds, words, and wonder — where creativity doesn't just live. It soars. Tags: essaouiraMoroccoUNESCO
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Maroc
5 days ago
- Maroc
Essaouira to Host UNESCO's 2026 Creative Cities Conference
Morocco's Essaouira will host the 18th session of the 2026 Annual Conference of the Creative Cities Network of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN organization announced on Monday. According to a UNESCO press release, this decision was taken following an online vote by the network's member cities, during which Essaouira garnered the highest number of votes among the candidate cities. Essaouira thus becomes 'the first city in Africa and the Arab world to host the Network's annual conference'. Since its selection in 2019 as a Creative City in the field of music, Essaouira has stood out through 'its commitment to the cultural and creative sectors, with a particular focus on music', the UN institution notes, citing emblematic festivals such as Gnaoua, World Music and Jazz sous l'Arganier (Jazz under the Argan tree) as testimony to the 'cultural richness of Essaouira, a crossroads city where local traditions interweave into a profoundly multifaceted identity'. The annual UNESCO Creative Cities Conference is a major platform for the 350 member cities to 'exchange ideas, share best practices and strengthen international cooperation on culture and sustainable urban development'. According to the same source, the 2026 edition in Essaouira will focus among other topics on the sustainability of policies and actions in favor of the cultural and creative industries at local level. It will also be a unique opportunity to highlight 'the rich cultural heritage and vibrant creativity of this Moroccan city'. UNESCO's collaboration with Essaouira in hosting this conference is part of bolstering and promoting UNESCO's Creative Cities Network. It also serves as a follow-up to the Mondiacult 2025 World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, as well as a step towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, namely SDG 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, the press release concludes. MAP: 30 June 2025
Morocco World
5 days ago
- Morocco World
UNESCO Picks Essaouira as Hosts of 2026 Creatives Cities Network Conference
Marrakech – In a decision that echoes across the shores of Morocco and the cultural capitals of the world, UNESCO has officially announced that the windswept city of Essaouira will host the 18th Annual Session of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Conference in 2026. The vote, cast digitally by member cities of the Creative Cities Network, came to a resounding conclusion: Essaouira emerged not just as a contender, but as the clear favorite. Since 2019, when the city was designated a UNESCO Creative City in the field of Music, Essaouira has played its part with flair — proving that creativity isn't a luxury, but a lifeline. Nestled between the Atlantic and the desert, Essaouira pulses with rhythm. From the hypnotic beat of Gnaoua to the improvisational grace of jazz beneath the argan trees, music has become both the city's signature and its soul. This is not simply a place where traditions are preserved — it's a city where traditions evolve, blend, and burst into life. The UNESCO Creative Cities Conference brings together more than 350 cities worldwide, each representing a unique expression of culture and creativity — from gastronomy to design, from media arts to crafts. The 2026 edition in Essaouira will focus on a theme yet to be unveiled, but its core mission remains: to champion sustainable local cultural policies and global cooperation. Beyond panels and policy, the conference promises to spotlight the very spirit of Essaouira: a city where ancient medinas, Jewish quarters, and coastal breezes whisper stories of coexistence, exchange, and imagination. UNESCO's collaboration with Essaouira is more than symbolic. It aligns with global efforts like MONDIACULT 2025 and supports the pursuit of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 11, which envisions inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities. In 2026, the world won't just come to Essaouira for a conference. It will come to experience a city of winds, words, and wonder — where creativity doesn't just live. It soars. Tags: essaouiraMoroccoUNESCO
Ya Biladi
5 days ago
- Ya Biladi
Essaouira to host 2026 UNESCO Creative Cities Conference as first African city
The city of Essaouira will host the 18th session of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Annual Conference in 2026, the United Nations organization announced on Monday. According to a statement from UNESCO, the decision was made following an online vote by member cities of the network, during which Essaouira received the highest number of votes among the candidate cities. It thus becomes «the first city in Africa and the Arab world to host the Network's Annual Conference». Since being designated a Creative City in the field of music in 2019, Essaouira has distinguished itself through «its commitment to cultural and creative sectors, with a particular focus on music», the UN agency noted. It highlighted landmark festivals such as Gnaoua, World Music, and Jazz Under the Argan Tree as evidence of «the cultural richness of Essaouira, a crossroads city where local traditions are woven into a deeply plural identity». The UNESCO Creative Cities Annual Conference serves as a key platform for the network's 350 member cities to «exchange ideas, share best practices, and strengthen international cooperation in culture and sustainable urban development». According to the same source, the 2026 edition in Essaouira will focus on a specific theme—yet to be announced—alongside discussions on sustaining local policies and actions that support cultural and creative industries. It will also provide a unique opportunity to showcase «the rich cultural heritage and vibrant creativity of this Moroccan city». UNESCO's collaboration with Essaouira in organizing the conference will contribute to the expansion of the Creative Cities Network and serve as a follow-up to the World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (Mondiacult 2025). It will also support progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
