Name
Country: Name
Continent: Name
Population: xxx
Restaurants & Food Establishments: 1
Designation Year: xxx
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Cities of Gastronomy
About
The UCCN is currently formed by 350 cities and covers seven creative fields: Crafts & Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media Arts. Since the field was introduced to the UCCN in 2005, the Gastronomy subnetwork has grown to a total of 56 designated Cities of Gastronomy in 34 countries and 68.6 million habitants.
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Benefits of becoming a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy
The members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network will have the opportunity to learn, get inspired, and partner with other member cities in the following key areas of action (UCCN Mission Statement):
- sharing experiences, knowledge, and best practices;
- pilot projects, partnerships, and initiatives associating the public and private sectors, and civil society;
- professional and artistic exchange programmes and networks;
- studies, research, and evaluations on the experience of the Creative Cities;
- policies and measures for sustainable urban development;
- communication and awareness-raising activities.
How can a city join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network?
The UCCN makes a Call for Applications every 2 years. Next Call will be in 2025 and it will be available to every city through the UNESCO website.
EXPLORE MORERecent initiatives
Creative Cities of Gastronomy Exhibition
From September 11 to 15, Buraydah hosted the Creative Cities of Gastronomy Exhibition in collaboration with the Culinary Arts Commission. The event showcased 22 UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy from around the world, highlighting their rich culinary traditions through live cooking demonstrations. Each participating city presented its unique dishes in dedicated pavilions, allowing visitors to taste local specialties, interact with chefs, and discover the ingredients and techniques that define each city's culinary identity. A special pavilion focused on Buraydah’s contributions to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, emphasizing its history and cultural heritage. The exhibition also featured sections dedicated to Saudi coffee and dates, showcasing Buraydah’s renowned food culture. This celebration not only promoted Buraydah as a gastronomic destination but also facilitated cultural exchange between the participating creative cities. Expected Outcomes: The exhibition aims to foster cultural exchange by showcasing the culinary heritage of 22 cities, highlighting their diverse traditions and unique ingredients, and showcasing Buraydah’s cuisine on the global stage while exploring innovative techniques and engaging visitors with talented chefs and time-honored culinary practices that define each city. Targuet Audience: Residents, Visitors, Press & media. Partners: Government, Private sector.
Type of Activity:
Best Practice, Communication, Cooperation Project, Event, News
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Buraydah Dates Carnival
Buraydah organizes an annual date carnival starting in August, celebrating the cultural and gastronomic heritage of dates while fostering economic and social development. Known as “the golden season” by farmers, this festival lasts two to three months and serves as a platform to highlight the cultural significance and economic potential of Saudi Arabia’s date industry. The carnival spotlights Saudi Arabia’s golden jewels and brings with it numerous cultural and economic opportunities, including thousands of seasonal jobs for youths, local farmers, and productive families, reflecting the festival’s commitment to empowering communities and promoting inclusive growth. The carnival also positions Buraydah as an agricultural tourist destination, offering a wide range of activities to ensure a remarkable experience for visitors and establish a hub for innovations in agricultural techniques in terms of production quality and environmental protection. Expected outcomes: The carnival aims to preserve the cultural heritage of dates while reinforcing the market growth, promoting Buraydah as an agricultural and tourist destination, and supporting the local community. The carnival also encourages agricultural innovation and contributes to sustainable development. Target audicence: Residents, NGO's, Academic institutions & research centres, Visitors, Press & media. Partners: Government, NGOs, Private sector, Universities or research centres, Press. This is an ongoing project.
Type of Activity:
Best Practice, Cooperation Project, Event
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Kleija Festival
The Kleija Festival first took place in 2009, with a mission to celebrate and promote Buraydah's traditional cuisine while supporting local families and showcasing their products. Named after the beloved Kleija pastry, a symbol of the city’s culinary heritage, the festival has grown into a cherished annual tradition in the heart of Buraydah. Organized by Qassim Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it aims to preserve the cultural heritage of the region while creating economic opportunities for local families. The festival also features a rich lineup of activities, including folkloric performances, handmade crafts, and art displays, turning Buraydah into a hub of culture and creativity. Expected outcomes: The festival aims to preserve and revive cultural heritage, support and market productive families, and promote sustainable practices. By encouraging best practices and fostering economic growth, the festival plays a key role in enhancing quality of life, making it a vital event for the community. Target Audience: Residents and visitors. This is an ongoing project. Partners: Government and Private Sector.
Type of Activity:
Best Practice, Event
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Tacacazeiras Festival
Tacacá is a typical dish from the Amazon. With indigenous origin, it is much appreciated by residents and those who visit Belém. The Tacacazeiras Festival, which had its fifth edition in 2024, is held annually in honor of the women who traditionally serve this delicacy throughout the city, those that even have the “Tacacazeira Day”, established through Municipal Law No. 8,846/2011. Expected outcomes: The Festival aims to contribute to the preservation and promotion of local gastronomic culture, while also presenting traditional dance and music attractions from the region. Target Audience: Residents, Visitors. Partners: Government, Private sector.
Type of Activity:
Best Practice, Event
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Creative Cities of Gastronomy Exhibition
From September 11 to 15, Buraydah hosted the Creative Cities of Gastronomy Exhibition in collaboration with the Culinary Arts Commission. The event showcased 22 UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy from around the world, highlighting their rich culinary traditions through live cooking demonstrations. Each participating city presented its unique dishes in dedicated pavilions, allowing visitors to taste local specialties, interact with chefs, and discover the ingredients and techniques that define each city's culinary identity. A special pavilion focused on Buraydah’s contributions to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, emphasizing its history and cultural heritage. The exhibition also featured sections dedicated to Saudi coffee and dates, showcasing Buraydah’s renowned food culture. This celebration not only promoted Buraydah as a gastronomic destination but also facilitated cultural exchange between the participating creative cities. Expected Outcomes: The exhibition aims to foster cultural exchange by showcasing the culinary heritage of 22 cities, highlighting their diverse traditions and unique ingredients, and showcasing Buraydah’s cuisine on the global stage while exploring innovative techniques and engaging visitors with talented chefs and time-honored culinary practices that define each city. Targuet Audience: Residents, Visitors, Press & media. Partners: Government, Private sector.
Type of Activity:
Best Practice, Communication, Cooperation Project, Event, News
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Food and Culture Festival
The Food and Culture Festival has been held for 17 sonsecutive years since 2006. It usually incluses a series of activities like food exhibition and sales, cooking demonstration and exchange, gastronomy culture forum, traditional sports event, cultural and art exhibition, etc. The festival is planned and coordinated by the government, and widely participated by local communities and enterprises. In 2019, Shunde invited 21 creative cities home and abroad to participate in the Shunde Food and Culture Festival, and carried out a series of international activities such as City of Gastronomy Symposium and "Star Chef Show" at the event site. The Food and Culture Festival in 2020 integrated different elements like "Gastronomy + Creativity", "Gastronomy + Music", "Gastronomy + Culture", "Gastronomy + Design",and held offline and online activities including the International Food Design Festival, the "City of Gastronomy" Star Chef Show, Gastronomy Themed Painting Exhibition, etc. More than 200 restaurants participated in the event on site, and more than 3,000 restaurants offered online discount coupon.The total offline visitors of the Food and Culture Festival was about 280,000 and 1.2 million people participated in the online discount activity, which resulted in 15 million yuan of consumption. In 2021, the Food and Culture Festival integrated Shunde cuisine, intangible cultural heritage, cultural and creative products to create a one-stop Shunde food district. During the 2022 Food and Culture Festival, Shunde invited gastronomy cities like Chengdu, Macao, Yangzhou and Huaian to carry out food and culture exchange activities in Shunde. The total visitors was more than 200,000, and the total booth sales exceeded 5 million yuan. During the 2023 Food and Culture Festival, there were a total of 100 food booths, and activities like Marathon, food culture forum, star chef show, folk parade, etc were held. The festival received more than 250,000 visitors within 3 days and reached 12.6 million yuan in food sales. Expected outcomes: a) Promote the development of local catering industry; b) help with the recovery of the local economy after Covid-19; c) promote the influence of Shunde cuisine. Target Audience: Residents, NGO's, private sector, public sector, academic institutions & research centres, cultural institutions, visitors, press & media. Partners: Government, NGOs, private sector, universities or research centres, culinary schools, press, others.
Type of Activity:
Best Practice, Communication, Cooperation Project, News, Open Call, Studies & Research & Evaluations
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Food and Culture Festival
The Food and Culture Festival has been held for 17 sonsecutive years since 2006. It usually incluses a series of activities like food exhibition and sales, cooking demonstration and exchange, gastronomy culture forum, traditional sports event, cultural and art exhibition, etc. The festival is planned and coordinated by the government, and widely participated by local communities and enterprises. In 2019, Shunde invited 21 creative cities home and abroad to participate in the Shunde Food and Culture Festival, and carried out a series of international activities such as City of Gastronomy Symposium and "Star Chef Show" at the event site. The Food and Culture Festival in 2020 integrated different elements like "Gastronomy + Creativity", "Gastronomy + Music", "Gastronomy + Culture", "Gastronomy + Design",and held offline and online activities including the International Food Design Festival, the "City of Gastronomy" Star Chef Show, Gastronomy Themed Painting Exhibition, etc. More than 200 restaurants participated in the event on site, and more than 3,000 restaurants offered online discount coupon.The total offline visitors of the Food and Culture Festival was about 280,000 and 1.2 million people participated in the online discount activity, which resulted in 15 million yuan of consumption. In 2021, the Food and Culture Festival integrated Shunde cuisine, intangible cultural heritage, cultural and creative products to create a one-stop Shunde food district. During the 2022 Food and Culture Festival, Shunde invited gastronomy cities like Chengdu, Macao, Yangzhou and Huaian to carry out food and culture exchange activities in Shunde. The total visitors was more than 200,000, and the total booth sales exceeded 5 million yuan. During the 2023 Food and Culture Festival, there were a total of 100 food booths, and activities like Marathon, food culture forum, star chef show, folk parade, etc were held. The festival received more than 250,000 visitors within 3 days and reached 12.6 million yuan in food sales. Expected outcomes: a) Promote the development of local catering industry; b) help with the recovery of the local economy after Covid-19; c) promote the influence of Shunde cuisine. Target Audience: Residents, NGO's, private sector, public sector, academic institutions & research centres, cultural institutions, visitors, press & media. Partners: Government, NGOs, private sector, universities or research centres, culinary schools, press, others.
Type of Activity:
Best Practice, Communication, Cooperation Project, News, Open Call, Studies & Research & Evaluations
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