The Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the City of London has announced that the city has been designated a UNESCO City of Music the first in Canada.
“This designation reaffirms that London is an international hub for music and culture home to incredibly talented artists, songwriters, producers, sound engineers, venue and festival operators, and world-renowned music education programs,” London Mayor Ed Holder said in a declaration.
UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, also Cultural Organization, has named 59 additional music cities in 90 countries as members of its 295-member UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), founded in 2004.
To nurture creativity and cultural industries, member cities share best practices and form collaborations.
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The UCCN includes just three other Canadian cities: Montreal in design, Quebec City in literature, and Toronto in media arts. Schools like Western University, Fanshawe College, and the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology are all helping to nurture award-winning talent in London (OIART).
London became Canada’s second municipality to approve a Music Strategy and hire a music industry development officer in 2014. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s secretary-general, Roda Muse, said: “the organization salutes the effort made to achieve the prestigious designation.”
“Given London’s firsthand information of the role of culture in municipal development, its position as the center of music education, and its community’s broad support.” We are glad to welcome a new partner that is contributing to the local economy’s vitality and promoting long-term urban development.”
According to Crossman, the certification will open doors for cultural exchanges, employment opportunities, and conferences. “London has now become a component of the world’s most extensive cultural network. So it’s amazing to have a title like this that validates the work that we’ve been doing and to be acknowledged on an international level, which speaks volumes about what’s going on in London.”
Source CTV news
