Madinah and Riyadh have been added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, according to a statement made by Saudi Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan. Madinah was honored for its culinary arts, and Riyadh joined the network in the design category, further solidifying Saudi Arabia’s position as one of the most inventive and creative cities in the world.
The two Saudi cities have now been formally added to the global network that honors cities that use creativity as a catalyst for sustainable urban and cultural development, after UNESCO’s confirmation of the 2025 evaluation results.
After spearheading an extensive nomination process in coordination with governmental bodies, academic institutions, and private sector partners, the Architecture and Design Commission declared Riyadh’s admission.
Riyadh’s dynamic design landscape, which encompasses architecture, urban, industrial, interior, product, and digital design, was highlighted in the submission, demonstrating the city’s developing status as a regional center for innovation.
The landmark was characterized as “a historic step that reflects the Kingdom’s ambition to make Riyadh a global model in harnessing creativity for urban and cultural development” by Dr. Sumaya Al-Sulaiman, CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission.
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