PARIS, May 10. /Dunyo IA/. The Permanent Mission of Uzbekistan to UNESCO held an online meeting with the Head of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Secretariat, Denise Bax, and expert Ni Qiaobo, to discuss preparations for Bukhara’s bid to host the 19th Annual Conference of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2027, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the National Commission of Uzbekistan for UNESCO, Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation, as well as officials from the Bukhara regional and city administrations.

During the talks, the parties focused on the preparation of Uzbekistan’s application to host this major international event, which would bring together more than 800 participants from over 400 cities that are members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network worldwide.

It was recalled that the initiative to hold the conference in Bukhara was put forward by the President of Uzbekistan during the opening ceremony of the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand in October 2025. The proposal was later included in the Uzbekistan–UNESCO Roadmap signed on April 8 this year.

The Uzbek side underlined that hosting such a representative conference in Bukhara reflects the country’s strong commitment to UNESCO’s values and programs, particularly in promoting creativity, culture, and sustainable urban development.

Special attention was given to Bukhara’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993 and a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network since 2023. It was noted that the city has historically served as a vibrant center of cultural exchange, where architecture, literature, music, design, and traditional arts developed in dialogue with different civilizations.

Today, Bukhara continues this tradition, positioning itself as a regional hub for creative industries and crafts, as well as an active venue for international cultural events, including the Bukhara Biennale held in 2025.

The parties also exchanged views on key criteria for selecting host cities and the requirements for preparing a strong application. UNESCO representatives provided guidance and recommendations on the application process.

At the end of the meeting, the Creative Cities Network Secretariat expressed its readiness to continue cooperation with Uzbekistan and to provide expert support in preparing a competitive bid for hosting the 2027 conference in Bukhara.