Lucknow secures Unesco creative cities tag for gastronomy
At the LMC headquarters, the municipal commissioner handed over the official Unesco letter addressed to the mayor
The state capital secured a major global recognition on Thursday after Unesco selected Lucknow for its prestigious Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the ‘Gastronomy’ category, placing the city’s culinary heritage on the world map.
According to a Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) press release on Thursday, Unesco’s assistant director-general for culture, Ernesto Ottone R, formally conveyed the honour to mayor Sushma Kharkwal and praised the city’s cultural depth, food traditions and creative potential. He said Unesco recognised Lucknow’s “vision and capacity” to lead creativity-based urban development.
At the Municipal Corporation headquarters, municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar handed over the official Unesco letter addressed to the mayor. Kumar said the honour marks a milestone for the state capital and strengthens its global profile.
With this recognition, Lucknow will participate in global UCCN programmes, periodic reporting, knowledge exchanges and international collaborations. The organisation has also given the city a special invitation to attend the 2026 annual UCCN conference in Essaouira, Morocco.
Unesco stated that Lucknow’s inclusion reflects its unique culinary identity, centuries-old nawabi food culture and the city’s commitment to preserving and promoting creativity.
Unesco further appreciated Lucknow’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, especially the goal focused on sustainable cities.
