Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Bukhara will host the 19th annual conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2027.
UNESCO has officially designated the Uzbek city as the venue for the international event, the Dunyо news agency reported.
The proposal to hold the conference in Bukhara was put forward by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the opening of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand in October 2025.
Bukhara will become the first city in Central Asia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Organization of Turkic States to host the network’s annual conference. The decision reflects international recognition of Uzbekistan’s efforts to develop culture, creative industries and sustainable urban development.
The forum will focus on the development of creative industries, the preservation and contemporary use of cultural heritage, support for young people and creative professionals, and the contribution of culture to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Hosting the conference is expected to expand international cooperation, attract new partners and investment to the cultural sector and creative economy, and showcase Uzbekistan’s tourism and cultural potential.
Bukhara was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. In 2023, it joined the Creative Cities Network in the Crafts and Folk Art category, reaffirming its role as a centre of traditional craftsmanship and cultural exchange.
Established in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network brings together 408 cities from more than 110 countries. The platform promotes international cooperation and recognises culture and creative industries as tools for sustainable social and economic development.
The annual conference is the network’s main event, bringing together representatives of member cities to exchange experience, discuss the development of creative industries and strengthen international partnerships.
The programme traditionally includes plenary sessions, a Mayors’ Forum, thematic discussions, presentations of international projects, partnership meetings and creative cities fairs.
Representatives of hundreds of creative cities worldwide, municipal leaders, experts, cultural organisations, creative industry professionals and international institutions are expected to attend the conference in Bukhara.
