Budapest and Kaunas awarded title “City of Design” by UNESCO

The Hungarian capital, Budapest, and Lithuania’s second city, Kaunas, have both been awarded the title “City of Design” by UNESCO, becoming the first central and eastern European cities to do so.

Budapest-based creative industries agency Design Terminal put together the application for the Hungarian capital, with the support of the local government.

“UNESCO’s decision is an important piece of feedback, which will strengthen the position of Budapest as a hub of the region’s creative industry,” said Gergely Böszörményi-Nagy, director of Design Terminal.

“I am glad that Kaunas has managed to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network,” said the deputy mayor of Kaunas, Simonas Kairys. “Born during the interwar period, Kaunas’ potential is reflected not only in its architecture but also its design.”

The cities are now members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which comprises cities that are world leaders in creativity and the creative industries across seven fields (Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music).

Created in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network now comprises 116 cities and aims to cultivate international cooperation in order to foster sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy.

Source: The Baltic Times and Hungary Today