UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

Lucknow has been recognised as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, reaffirming India’s position as a civilizational powerhouse of culinary heritage. Read here to learn more about the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

In a landmark recognition of India’s rich culinary diversity, Lucknow has been officially declared a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy during the 43rd Session of the UNESCO General Conference held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan (2025).

This distinction celebrates Lucknow’s Awadhi cuisine, a legacy of refined taste, cultural confluence, and centuries-old culinary craftsmanship.

UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)

• Established: 2004 by UNESCO
• Objective: To promote international cooperation among cities that use creativity and cultural industries as strategic tools for sustainable urban development.
• Membership: 408 cities across 100+ countries (as of 2025).
• Recent Update (2025): Inclusion of Architecture as the 8th creative field in addition to the existing seven.

Creative Fields under UCCN (8 total)

1. Crafts and Folk Art
2. Design
3. Film
4. Gastronomy
5. Literature
6. Media Arts
7. Music
8. Architecture (introduced in 2025)

Core Objectives

• Promote knowledge sharing and best practices among member cities.
• Support cultural industries as engines of economic and social innovation.
• Foster cultural diversity, sustainability, and inclusivity in urban planning.
• Integrate creativity into education, tourism, and local development strategies.

Lucknow: UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy

Rich Culinary Heritage

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• Lucknow’s Awadhi cuisine evolved during the Mughal era under the Nawabs of Awadh.
• It is known for its slow-cooking techniques (dum style), refined spices, and intricate recipes such as galouti kebabs, kakori kebabs, biryanis, kormas, and sheermal.
• This culinary tradition reflects the fusion of Persian, Central Asian, and North Indian influences, resulting in one of the most sophisticated gastronomic heritages in South Asia.

Living Culinary Culture

Lucknow’s food tradition is not just historical but living and evolving, sustained by:

• Traditional ustads (master chefs) and rakabdars (royal cooks),
• Family-run eateries preserving ancestral recipes,
• Street food culture rooted in hospitality and community sharing.

Sustainability and Food Education

The city promotes:

• Farm-to-table sourcing and local ingredients such as saffron, kewra, and rose water.
• Culinary education through institutions and cultural festivals.
• Efforts toward zero-waste cooking and sustainable food packaging.

Community and Cultural Exchange

• Food festivals such as the Lucknow Mahotsav and culinary heritage walks encourage community participation and tourism, blending cultural heritage with modern economic development.

Criteria for UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy

A city must demonstrate:

1. Rich culinary heritage and use of traditional ingredients and techniques.
2. Integration of gastronomy into urban development, tourism, and education.
3. Promotion of sustainable food systems and innovation.
4. Active community involvement and international exchange through culinary events and networks.

Lucknow met these through its preservation of Awadhi cuisine, sustainable culinary practices, and inclusive gastronomic culture.

Significance for India

• Cultural Diplomacy and Soft Power: The recognition strengthens India’s cultural soft power and positions its regional cuisines as global cultural assets.
• Economic and Tourism Boost: The label “Creative City of Gastronomy” enhances culinary tourism potential, creating new livelihoods for chefs, local farmers, artisans, and food entrepreneurs.
• Urban Development through Heritage: Integrating food heritage with urban policy can promote inclusive development, linking heritage conservation, tourism, and local economies.
• Culinary Diversity Recognition: With Lucknow following Hyderabad (2019), India now has two cities recognized for gastronomy, underlining the diversity of its regional cuisines.

Indian Cities in UNESCO Creative Cities Network (as of 2025)

With this, India now has nine cities in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, reflecting the country’s growing global cultural footprint.

Way Forward

• Preserve Culinary Authenticity: Documentation of traditional recipes and cooking methods through cultural archives and education.
• Promote Local Livelihoods: Link heritage food clusters with MSMEs and tourism-based income generation.
• Encourage Culinary Innovation: Blend tradition with modern gastronomy for global markets.
• Enhance International Engagement: Participate in UCCN collaborations to share India’s culinary innovations and sustainability models.

Conclusion

Lucknow’s recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy reaffirms India’s position as a civilizational powerhouse of culinary heritage.

The Awadhi cuisine, rooted in refinement, hospitality, and sustainability, symbolizes the essence of India’s cultural pluralism.

As food increasingly becomes a medium of diplomacy, identity, and sustainable development, Lucknow’s success offers a template for other Indian cities to integrate heritage, creativity, and innovation in pursuit of inclusive cultural growth.

UPSC Practice Question

Q. With reference to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), consider the following statements:

1. It was launched in 2004 to promote creativity and cultural industries as drivers of sustainable development.
2. Only cities from UNESCO member states can be part of the network.
3. Architecture was included as a new creative field in 2025.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Related articles:

• UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)