UNESCO Names Madinah and Riyadh Creative Cities Highlighting Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Expansion

UNESCO named Madinah a Creative City for Gastronomy and Riyadh a Creative City for Design.

“The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has named Madinah aCreative City for Gastronomyand Riyadh aCreative City for Design, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s growing cultural and creative influence on the world stage”

Siasat

This announcement was made on World Cities Day as part of adding 58 new cities to the Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

Siasat

Saudi Arabia now has five cities recognized by UNESCO as creative cities.

This inclusion places the Kingdom within a global network that now includes 408 cities worldwide.

Coverage highlights both the global context and Saudi Arabia's growing cultural momentum.

Siasat describes the move as expanding the Kingdom’s cultural influence and strengthening its role as a global leader in cultural innovation.

Ummid confirms both designations and the timing of the announcement on World Cities Day.

The Times of India’s World Desk features the UNESCO additions among its stories, indicating the news has gained international attention.

For Madinah, the Gastronomy title recognizes a culinary heritage shaped by historic trade and pilgrimage routes and agricultural diversity, while also spotlighting contemporary initiatives.

Siasat underscores the city’s deep-rooted food culture, and ummid adds granular details: the presence of Saudi Arabia’s first culinary market, Souq Al-Tabbakhah, and local priorities like preserving traditional recipes, reducing food waste, and nurturing culinary entrepreneurship—framing Madinah’s global standing as extending beyond religious significance.

The Times of India

The Times of India flags the UNESCO additions as part of wider international news flow.

Riyadh’s designation in the Design category reflects its role as a regional hub for creativity, architecture, and innovation.

“Riyadh:The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added Madinah al Munawwarah, The Holy City of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in its Creative Cities Network for Gastronomy”

ummid

Siasat highlights a focus on sustainable, design-driven urban growth in the city.

ummid portrays a dynamic design scene that blends heritage and modernity, supported by major development projects and innovation centers.

This recognition is explicitly connected to Saudi Vision 2030’s cultural leadership goals.

TOI includes the UNESCO additions in its global coverage, indicating international news relevance rather than providing detailed city-level information.

The UCCN serves as a platform that promotes creativity for sustainable urban and cultural development.

This round’s expansion introduced Architecture as a new creative field within the network.

Siasat

Siasat highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing influence and leadership in the UCCN.

Ummid emphasizes national efforts by commissions and partners, noting that with Madinah and Riyadh, the Kingdom now has five creative cities across various fields.

TOI presents the UNESCO news as one of many items, showing how the development is integrated into broader global news without detailed policy analysis.