Latest news with #UNESCOCreativeCity
Scotsman
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Woman who helped Edinburgh 'blaze a trail' to become world's first city of literature to receive award
Ali Bowden is to receive the Edinburgh Award Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A woman who helped to 'blaze a trail' for Edinburgh as it became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature has been selected to receive the Edinburgh Award - following in the footsteps of musician Nicola Benedetti, rugby player Doddie Weir and businessman Sir Tom Farmer. Ali Bowden was director of the organisation from 2006 until last year, following a ten year career in publishing, Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Edinburgh Award was established in 2007 to honour outstanding individuals who have made a positive impact on the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh. Nominations are invited annually from Edinburgh citizens and the recipient is selected by the Civic Awards Committee. Previous recipients include bestselling authors, human rights activists and world-famous sportspeople. Over her time in the role, she helped to welcome new Cities of Literature as they joined, recruiting others from around the world in a bid to diversify the network. There are now 53 literary cities and more than 350 creative cities in seven artforms. Ali will be presented with an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost and have her handprints set in stone at the City Chambers later this year. The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, and Chair of the Civic Award Committee, Robert Aldridge said: 'Ali Bowden is a most deserved recipient of the Edinburgh Award, and I'm really pleased that she has accepted the Civic Awards Committee decision to present it to her. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Edinburgh blazed a trail when it became the first UNESCO Creative City in 2004 and with Ali at the helm for almost 20 years it has continued to flourish in this position.' Ali Bowden is to receive the Edinburgh Award. | Scotsman He added: 'Not only has Ali gone above and beyond to create a diverse and engaging range of projects and programmes to enhance the literary city, she has played a key role in connecting Edinburgh with other literary cities around the world. 'I'd like to congratulate Ali on behalf of the city - we will all benefit from her legacy, which builds on the Capital's rich literary heritage while also bringing reading and literature to new and varied audiences.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Bowden's work to promote and enhance Edinburgh as a literary city includes community-based writers' residencies, the first citywide reading campaign, and the award-winning Great Scott! installation in Waverley railway station honouring Sir Walter Scott. She was also behind the Stars & Stories trail of illuminated quotations celebrating 500 years of Edinburgh's publishing heritage, and an initiative with ETAG to promote literary tourism. After 18 years in the role, Ms Bowden stood down in September 2024 and has been replaced by Dr Harriet McMillan. Ms Bowden said: 'There's no doubt that Edinburgh has stolen my heart, and I've happily spent the last few decades banging the drum for this impressive, bookish, story-filled and ever-changing city. I am humbled, honoured and delighted - in equal measure - to be receiving the Edinburgh Award.
Morocco World
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- 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
