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The sci entific heritage No 128 (2023) 9
ART
UNESCO CREATIVE CITIES NETWORK AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS OF KNOWLEDGE
SOCIETY AND TOURISM IN AZERBAIJAN (IN THE CONTEXT OF MUSEOLOGY)
Jafarova N.
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences,
PhD on Art Study
ORCID: 0000-0003-2854-7780
Abstract
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are taking initiatives in
various fields. One of these initiatives is the creation of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Three cities of
Azerbaijan have been included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. In 2017, Sheki was included in the list
of creative cities (the theme “Crafts and Folk Art”), in 2019 – Baku (the theme “Design”), and in 2021 – Lankaran
(the theme “Gastronomy”). The inclusion in the future of our other cities in similar lists in the relevant industries
will contribute to the comprehensive recognition of the republic on an international scale, and the establishment
of broad ties in relevant areas, and the development in the country of various types of tourism, the creative econ-
omy and the knowledge society as a whole.
Keywords: Azerbaijan, knowledge society, creative economy, tourism, culture, art, museums.
Introduction. The United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has
taken various initiatives in the relevant fields. One of
them is the creation of the UNESCO Creative Cities
Network (UCCN), in which the cities included in the
network should share their experience and develop
partnership relations with the participation of public
and private sectors, as well as civil society. The net-
work was founded in 2004 to collaborate with cities that
identify creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable
development. Currently, the cities included in the net-
work are working to make creative and cultural indus-
tries the main focus of their development plans at the
local level and to actively cooperate at the international
level.
World Cities Day is celebrated on October 31
every year since 2014. This holiday was established by
the decision of the UN General Assembly held in De-
cember 2013 in order to focus the attention of the inter-
national community on the problems of urbanization
and solving the relevant issues to ensure the sustainable
development of cities around the world.
It is no secret that the socio-economic develop-
ment of every city depends on a number of factors. The
safety and comfort of the city population, the environ-
mental situation, the creation of the necessary infra-
structure, the quality of the provided services, etc. – all
these factors are characterize cities. According to the
UN, more than half of the world's population currently
lives in cities. In 2050, this number will increase to
68%. For comparison, let's say that at the beginning of
the 19th century, only 2% of the population lived in cit-
ies, and in 1950, 30% [8]. The increase in the number
of urban population creates a number of problems in the
field of security and sustainable development.
In 2015, the member countries of the UN adopted
17 goals leading to sustainable development within the
framework of the “The Global Goals and the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development”. These goals are
1) no poverty and 2) zero hunger, 3) good health and
well-being, 4) quality education, 5) gender equality, 6)
clean water and sanitation, 7) affordable and clean en-
ergy, 8) decent work and economic growth, 9) industry,
innovation and infrastructure, 10) reducing inequali-
ties, 11) sustainable cities and communities, 12) re-
sponsible consumption and production, 13) climate ac-
tion, 14) life below water, 15) life on land, 16) peace,
justice and strong institutions and 17) partnerships [18].
If we look at the set goals, it is clear that the points
listed above are reflected in all areas, including the de-
velopment of cities. Therefore, the UNESCO Creative
Cities Network initiative is particularly relevant for our
time. It is no coincidence that the new cities included in
the network are announced every two years on the eve
of World Cities Day.
The place of UCCN in the development of tour-
ism and creative economy. As noted by economists,
“countries in the global world attach special importance
to the development of exports in order to maintain their
economic well-being and achieve sustainable economic
growth... specializing in exports of limited products
harms the country's economy with fluctuations in the
world market. Therefore, there is a need for countries
to expand their bas ket of export products” [5, p. 28].
Taking into account modern realities, tourism
products must be included in this basket. Currently,
tourism occupies an important place in inter-country re-
lations. The reason for this is the expansion of mutual
relations in economy, scientific-cultural integration,
scientific-technical progress and other directions. Ac-
cording to scientists, tourism, especially cultural tour-
ism, expands economic, social, cultural, scientific-tech-
nical relations between different countries, and also
plays an important role in maintaining mutual trust,
peace, and strengthening mutual friendly relations [6,
p. 3].
The activity of UCCN is the expansion of cultural
initiatives, the creation, production and distribution of
cultural products and services, the development of cre-
ativity and innovation centers, the creation of opportu-
nities for people working in the field of culture, the ac-
cessibility of cultural life, the participation of everyone
10 The scientific heritage No 128 (2023)
in these initiatives, including marginalized and disabled
citizens. Activity, in short, is aimed at the integration of
culture and creativity into sustainable development
plans.
Created in 2004 and covering up to 350 cities of
the world, UNESCO's Creative Cities Network pro-
motes international cooperation among the world's cit-
ies. The cities included in the network are innovative
and strategically important, they come up with large-
scale initiatives that have a positive economic, social,
cultural and environmental impact, thereby supporting
the aforementioned “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development” [13].
The network covers a range of creative fields:
crafts and folk art, media art, cinema, design, gastron-
omy, literature and music. These listed are areas aimed
at the development of various types of tourism and cre-
ative economy, along with a number of directions.
Thus, through various projects, intercity cooperation in
relevant areas is established, knowledge and experience
are exchanged. Also, the network ensures the flow of
tourists to these places by engaging in extensive pro-
motion of those cities. On the other hand, initiatives
aimed at the development of various creative fields ac-
celerate the development of the creative economy as a
whole, and contribute to the improvement of the well-
being of the city population by attracting additional in-
come.
Development of knowledge society and touris m
in Azerbaijan as one of the priority issues. A number
of legal documents regulate the field of tourism in our
country. For example, the Law of the Republic of Azer-
baijan “On Tourism” (December 27, 2021), “Strategic
Roadmap for the Development of the Specialized Tour-
ism Industry in the Republic of Azerbaijan” (December
6, 2016), “Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for So-
cio-Economic Development” (February 2, 2021) and
based on this document “Socio-economic development
strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2022-2026”
(Julay 22, 2022), etc.
In the “Strategic Roadmap for the Development of
the Specialized Tourism Industry in the Republic of
Azerbaijan”, it is noted that the development of tourism
mainly affects three areas – the Gross Domestic Prod-
uct, increasing employment and the socio-economic
development of the regions, and the development of the
infrastructure of the regions. In addition, the tourism
sector supports efforts in the direction of environmental
sustainability, cultural heritage, protection and devel-
opment of local values. A successful tourism strategy
helps to improve the country's image internationally, so
tourism also acts as a marketing tool for countries [1, p.
8]. If we look at the “Socio-economic development
strategy for 2022-2026”, one of the main directions of
activity of the national economy of Azerbaijan is the
strengthening of strategic, institutional and financial
mechanisms to ensure sustainable development of the
tourism sector. This direction includes the preparation
and implementation of state programs for the develop-
ment of tourism, the implementation of a marketing and
communication plan for expanding the country’s tour-
ism potential, the creation of a mechanism for coordi-
nating the activities of participants in the tourism indus-
try in the form of regular dialogue, as well as the im-
plementation of other projects and measures [2].
Taking into account the above legal documents,
we can come to the conclusion that our republic at-
taches great importance to the development of sustain-
able and socially responsible tourism. The goal of sus-
tainable tourism is to organize more efficient and hu-
mane activities based on the interests of local
communities and environmental opportunities. During
sustainable tourism tourism services are based on the
socio-economic and ecological opportunities of the
area, these opportunities determine the characteristics
of tourism activities, travelers behave in accordance
with the culture of the places they come to, respect nat-
ural objects, customs and traditions, establish a rela-
tionship with the local population on the basis of friend-
ship and mutual respect [10].
Socially responsible tourism also gives a person
the opportunity to make a real contribution to the sus-
tainable development of the place he travels to. Socially
responsible tourism ensures the protection of nature,
promotes the social and economic development of the
region, instills a sense of respect for the historical-cul-
tural heritage, the environment and traditions [11, p.
13]. Summarizing what has been mentioned, let us note
that the creation of tourism products in accordance with
the requirements of the modern era will give a great
boost to the development of the creative economy in
our country.
Prospects of Azerbaijan's representation in
UNESCO's Creative Cities network. To date, 3 cities
of Azerbaijan have been included in the network. In
2017, the city of Shaki was included in the network's
list of creative cities on the theme of “crafts and folk
art”, in 2019, the city of Baku was included in the list
of “design”, and in 2021, the city of Lankaran was in-
cluded in the list of creative cities on the theme of “gas-
tronomy”. On the official website of UCCN, infor-
mation reflecting the specifics and future priorities of
each city in the creative field is posted.
In Sheki, which is known as the place of many
types of crafts and folk arts, especially netting, pottery
and sericulture, the following initiatives are planned for
future activities: a) development and implementation of
a comprehensive marketing program for the develop-
ment of local creativity, the production and distribution
of handicrafts and folk art products; b) establishment of
the Shaki Institute of Arts and Crafts, turning this place
into a center of professional education in the field of
craft technologies, entrepreneurship, management and
marketing skills in the field of creativity and innova-
tion; c) developing a multifaceted cultural tourism
strategy aimed at making art workshops accessible to
everyone, especially people with limited opportunities;
d) organization of International Shaki craft and folk art
fair twice a year in order to strengthen partnership with
other creative cities; e) management of a regional net-
work of cities in Turkic-speaking countries to stimulate
the integration of craft and folk art sectors into local
development plans; f) feasibility studies of projects
The sci entific heritage No 128 (2023) 11
aimed at exploring new potential cultural tourism
routes connecting Sheki with other UCCN cities in the
field of crafts and folk art, gastronomy and music [17].
Known as the center of innovative projects and
start-ups in the field of design, Baku offers wide oppor-
tunities in the field of fashion, graphic and web design,
eco-design, architecture, interior design and urban
landscape. The following initiatives are planned to be
implemented in Baku in the future: a) creation of op-
portunities for authors working in various design fields;
b) improving opportunities for authors at various levels
and opening jobs for them; c) providing support for the
production, distribution and dissemination of products
and services in the field of design; d) strengthening re-
lations with other creative fields such as crafts and folk
art, gastronomy and music covered by the network; e)
expansion of cooperation with creative cities that con-
sider design and other creative fields as an important
factor of sustainable urban development [14].
With its rich agricultural potential, historical and
cultural heritage, Lankaran makes important contribu-
tions to the non-oil economy. The following steps are
envisaged for Lankaran: a) expansion of opportunities
for creation, production, distribution and distribution of
products and services in the field of gastronomy; b)
strengthening synergies with other creative field cov-
ered by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, such as
crafts and folk art and design; c) expansion of coopera-
tion between cities that see gastronomy and other re-
lated creative fields as a strategic driving force of urban
development; d) creating wider opportunities for stu-
dents, authors, experts and civil society to exchange
knowledge and experience [16].
Of course, in the future, the inclusion of other cit-
ies of our country in such lists according to various top-
ics will promote both the comprehensive recognition of
the republic in the international world, the establish-
ment of extensive relations in relevant fields, and the
development of various types of tourism, creative econ-
omy and knowledge society in the country. For exam-
ple, taking into account the colorful and rich culinary
culture of Azerbaijan, various cities of the republic can
be included in the list of creative cities on the theme of
“gas tronomy”, Shemakha – on the theme of “litera-
ture”, Shusha – on the theme of “mus ic”, etc. In addi-
tion, taking taking into account films shot in Baku, the
city can be included on the theme of “cinema”, in ac-
cordance with projects on media art – on the theme
“media art”, taking into account the major music festi-
vals held in Gabala and the role of these festivals in mu-
sic tourism, the city of Gabala can be included in the
network on the theme “music”, etc.
Now extensive repair and reconstruction works
are being carried out in Karabakh. As experts have
noted, “the creative economy to be formed in the
Karabakh economic region is important in providing
employment, increasing the volume of creative goods
and services in exports, and achieving sustainable eco-
nomic growth... The transition from culture to econ-
omy, the creation of cultural and creative sectors will
also stimulate the development of tourism” [7, p. 172].
Much can be said about Shusha's role in the devel-
opment of the musical culture of Azerbaijan. Academi-
cian Zemfira Safarova, who covered this issue exten-
sively, writes that “there are several cities in the world
where music is absorbed into every stone, every castle,
and its entire aura. This is Vienna in Austria, Naples in
Italy, and Shusha in Karabakh” [12, p. 3].
Indeed, it is enough to list only some of the out-
standing musical figures who came out of Shusha, for
example, wonderful musicians and singers Bulbul,
Sadigjan, Jabbar Garyagdyoglu, Mir Mohsun Navvab,
Khan Shushinsky, Zulfi Adigozalov, Gurban Pirimov,
our famous composers Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Fikret
Amirov, Niyazi, Zulfugar Hajibeyov, Afrasiyab Badal-
beyli, Suleiman Aleskerov, Vasif Adigozalov and oth-
ers to prove that Shusha is the musical cradle of Azer-
baijan. Therefore, the inclusion of Shusha in the UCCN
on the theme “music” is one of the priority issues facing
us, and the necessary measures are being taken in this
direction.
Speaking about Shamakhi, we should list some
figures of Azerbaijani literature, for example, Imaded-
din Nasimi, Khagani Shirvani, Mirza Alekper Sabir,
Seyid Azim Shirvani, Sultan Ganizadeh, Muhammad
Hadi, Abbas Sahhat and many others, in order to rec-
ognize the validity of our proposal to include Shamakhi
in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network on the theme
“literature”. The same applies to our other offers.
UCCN and museums. It is known that tourists
who come to different cities go to the museums operat-
ing here, along with other places. In general, the expan-
sion of museum functions, the active participation of
these institutions in the life of modern societies, the di-
rect participation of museums in both the collection and
creation of knowledge create ample opportunities for
close contact of these institutions with creative indus-
tries.
In our opinion, full information about cities can be
conveyed to visitors through museums of history of cit-
ies, which are still quite rare in Azerbaijan. When talk-
ing about museums of history of cities, it should be
noted that everything surrounding these institutions is
the subject of their research. Museums of cities convey
the culture of city residents to the audience, promote the
uniqueness of communities, and engage in activities
aimed at the cultural development of communities. All
the areas we have listed coincide with the goals of the
UNESCO Creative Cities Network, such museums oc-
cupy an important place both in the development of the
creative economy, in the education of people, and in the
wider recognition of cities in the world.
We got information about only two museums of
history of cities currently operating in Azerbaijan .
These are the museums of the cities of Sumgait and
Mingachevir, which were created in the 60-s of the 20th
century. At that time, such a museum was also estab-
lished in Shusha, but it operated for a short time.
We have prepared and presented to the public the
initial concepts of the museums of Baku [3], Shusha
[15] and Nakhchivan [9].
Taking into account one of the priority issues for
inclusion in the UCCN, let us state that in addition to
12 The scientific heritage No 128 (2023)
two music profile museums in Shusha – Bulbul and Uz-
eyir Hajibeyli's house museums, the houses of a num-
ber of our musical figures are recognized as cultural
monuments. We have presented the initial concept of
the house-museum of Jabbar Garyagdioglu, which is
aimed at the development of music tourism in Shusha
[4]. In our opinion, the implementation of such pro-
jects and the creation of relevant museums will give a
great impetus to the development of creative industries
in the republic.
Conclusion and offers. Thus, the goals of the
UCCN are realized through the exchange of knowledge
and experience both at the level of the network’s me m-
ber cities and at the international level, through pilot
projects bringing together public, private sectors and
civil societies, partnerships and initiatives, programs of
professional and creative exchange, events, aimed at
sustainable urban development, coordination, propa-
ganda, etc. Our cities have rich potential to tap into this
network in various creative fields, and we must use this
potential to promote relevant projects. We also consider
the creation of various types of museums, especially
museums of history of cities, to be a pressing issue
within the UCCN.
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