Moneyweb
The Buffalo City Metro (BCM) is among 55 new cities to be named by UNESCO as the Creative City of Literature for 2023.
UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, says these new cities have displayed a strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity as part of their development strategies.
Azoulay said these cities join the Creative Cities Network to “strengthen their resilience in the face of evolving threats such as climate change, inequality, and rapid urbanisation.”
The Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB) has also congratulated the municipality.
Board CEO Lance Schultz said that this global partnership is a testament to the city's commitment to elevating culture and creativity to the next level.
“We wish to acknowledge the leadership of the Buffalo City Municipality, we trust that this will go a long way in further showcasing the region for its significance in literature and its heritage.”
Schultz said the Metro has displayed innovative practices in human-centered urban planning and represents various creative fields such as crafts, design, literature, arts, and music.
Some of the contemporary literary legends of the Eastern Cape, such as Professor Peter Tshobisa Mthuze, have won recent awards from PanSALB for contributing to the development of indigenous languages.
Schultz also noted that BCM’s inclusion will positively contribute to South Africa's efforts to attain the goals of the Global Action Plan for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032).
“This milestone presents an excellent opportunity for the sustainable development of South Africa's indigenous languages.”
The Network now consists of 350 cities in more than one hundred countries, representing seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.
