Bukhara to host UNESCO Creative Cities Network conference in 2027

The decision was announced on October 30, on the eve of World Cities Day. The initiative to hold the meeting in Bukhara was put forward by Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in October 2025, when he opened the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand. Bukhara will become the first city in Central Asia, the CIS, and the Organization of Turkic States to host the network's annual conference.

The conference agenda will include the development of creative industries, the preservation of cultural heritage and its application today, support for young people and those in creative professions, as well as the role of culture in promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The program usually includes a Mayors' Forum, plenary sessions, presentations of international projects, thematic discussions, meetings with potential partners, and creative cities fairs.

Bukhara has been a member of the network since 2023 in the crafts direction, and the city was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. The network itself has existed since 2004 and currently has 408 cities from more than 110 countries.

The next conference of the network will take place in November 2026 in the Moroccan city of Essaouira under the slogan "Cultural innovations for sustainable urban development".