Culture as an Ambassador, Youth as the Future, Community as a Source of Strength

A discussion on the topic “Culture and Creativity for Peaceful and Sustainable Cities” brought together representatives of creative cities to exchange experiences, ideas, and best practices. The forum was moderated by Gabrovo Mayor Tanya Hristova.

In the first part, participants discussed the role of culture and community in overcoming crises. Representatives from Sifnos, Greece; Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia; Faenza, Italy; Caldas da Rainha, Portugal; and Manises, Portugal shared examples of how local traditions, crafts, and creative practices have helped their cities recover from natural disasters, social upheavals, and pandemics.

From humor as a means of resilience in Sifnos, to the understanding of cultural heritage as living knowledge in Al-Ahsa, to the power of ceramics to unite the community in Faenza—all these examples demonstrated that culture is an ambassador of hope and connectedness.

In the second part of the forum, the focus was on combining technological progress with traditional skills. The cities presented examples of the use of digital archives, knowledge-sharing platforms, 3D printing, augmented reality, and technological tools for training young artisans.

From Faenza to Manises, participants emphasized that investing in young people is the key to preserving crafts and developing the creative industries. Technology does not replace craftsmanship; rather, it expands upon it, documents it, and makes it accessible to new generations.

In the concluding part of the discussion, participants spoke about international cooperation among creative cities during crises. The exchange of knowledge, cultural projects, educational mobility, and creative residencies was identified as the most effective way for cities to help one another.

All participants agreed that there is no single formula for a successful city—there are communities that learn, share, and create together. And that is precisely what makes the UNESCO Creative Cities Network so valuable.

The annual meeting is being held under the theme “The Power of Human Creativity for a Peaceful World” and focuses on the role of culture and creativity in building sustainable cities, the connection between tradition and innovation, and international partnership.

The event is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, with financial support from the Ministry of Tourism and the Regional Center for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Southeast Europe under the auspices of UNESCO, in collaboration with REMO “Etar.”