The Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, UNESCO and the Battambang Provincial Administration have prepared documents to list the northwestern town as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
A two-day workshop was held from May 23-24 on preparing to list Battambang as part of the UNESCO project, and to gather ideas, consult with stakeholders, gather additional inputs and review new developments to be included in the documentation.
The meeting also aimed to complete the submission of documents before June 30 and to promote the UNESCO Creative Cities Network to other potential towns in Cambodia, according to the Battambang Provincial Department of Tourism.
The workshop was attended by officials from the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, representatives of UNESCO as well as Battambang, Kampot, Siem Reap and Kratie municipal authorities, members of civil society and the private sector, and other stakeholders.
Deputy provincial governor Chhay Martinal hailed the development, saying that while Battambang was first, three other provinces – Kampot, Siem Reap and Kratie – were also preparing documents to list as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.
“The inclusion of Battambang as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is very important for the province and its people.
“This is a testament to the significance of Battambang, and will show to the world its appeal and its products, particularly the renowned regional food,” Martinal said.
Battambang’s membership of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network would increase global awareness of the town as a tourism destination and as a place to do business, he added.
UNESCO says the Creative Cities Network project was launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities that have recognised creativity as a major factor in their urban development.
