The city of Bolzano, capital of the Province of South Tyrol in northern Italy, forms a bridge between north and south in the heart of Europe. It’s a lively city thanks to the three different cultures and languages (Italian, German and Ladin). Music has been the common language of encounters between people from the different cultures in the region since the late 19th century, and so this was a natural choice for the theme of Bolzano’s incorporation into the Network.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network’s purpose is to safeguard and promote cultural and natural heritage across the world, supporting creativity and using culture to address a range of global challenges. Bolzano’s inclusion within the latest announcement of 55 new cities brings the Network’s membership to 350 cities in more than a hundred countries, representing seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music.

Bolzano plans to have a strong focus on supporting cooperation and sharing experiences with other creative cities. Many ideas and projects will be developed in collaboration with the Free University of Bolzano and the city hopes to improve everyone’s participation in cultural life, and in particular, to actively involve students in cultural productions.

By joining the Network, the city also commits to placing culture and creativity at the heart of its sustainable development.

You can find out more about the Network here: UNESCO Creative Cities Network