Saudi Arabia expands its cultural footprint on the world stage
In a landmark development for Saudi Arabia, the cities of Madinah and Riyadh have been officially welcomed into UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. This milestone underscores the kingdom’s pivot toward culture-driven growth, highlighting how traditional flavors and modern design can converge to boost tourism, education, and economic diversification. As Madinah earns its recognition for culinary heritage and Riyadh for design and innovation, the pair symbolize a broader national strategy to elevate arts, culture, and creative industries.
Madinah: where culinary heritage meets global curiosity
Madinah’s inclusion celebrates a centuries‑old culinary tradition that blends local ingredients with regional influences. The city is renowned for its markets, street snacks, and family recipes that have traveled across generations. UNESCO’s designation recognizes not just taste but the social and cultural fabric built around food: how recipes are transmitted, how kitchens become community hubs, and how culinary practices reflect history, trade routes, and communal identity.
Beyond taste, Madinah’s food culture is tied to hospitality, craftsmanship, and sustainable culinary practices. Local chefs, home cooks, and educators are embracing the UNESCO framework to document techniques, preserve endangered dishes, and create culinary programs that teach children and visitors about the region’s diverse flavors. The move brings opportunities for culinary tourism, storytelling through food, and collaborative projects with researchers, historians, and artists.
Riyadh: design and innovation as engines of cultural growth
Riyadh’s selection highlights the city’s rapid transformation into a hub of design, architecture, fashion, and digital innovation. The UNESCO recognition signals confidence in the capital’s ability to foster creative ecosystems that connect designers with makers, educators with students, and startups with investors. This designation can accelerate initiatives around design education, public art, and cultural programming that appeal to a global audience while remaining rooted in local tradition and contemporary aesthetics.
As Riyadh leverages this status, expect expanded designer residencies, collaborative studios, and exhibitions that showcase regional talents on international stages. The city’s design and innovation scene is well positioned to influence neighboring regions, offering a model for how cities can balance modernization with cultural continuity. The UNESCO framework also encourages cross-disciplinary collaborations—between urban planning, fashion, graphic design, and technology—creating a fertile ground for startups and creative enterprises.
The broader impact: culture as a catalyst for sustainable growth
Joining UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network aligns Madinah and Riyadh with a global community of cities using culture to stimulate economic diversification, social inclusion, and education. This designation supports tourism growth by attracting cultural events, workshops, and culinary and design festivals. It also fosters capacity building, knowledge exchange, and the sharing of best practices in safeguarding cultural heritage while embracing innovation.
For Saudi Arabia, the move signals a strategic commitment to creative economies as a pillar of development alongside science, energy, and technology. Local governments, universities, and cultural institutions can collaborate more easily with international partners, unlocking funding, training, and co-creation opportunities that benefit artists, artisans, designers, and culinary professionals alike.
What’s next for Madinah and Riyadh
Officials anticipate a range of initiatives—food heritage documentation projects, culinary training centers, and design labs—that leverage UNESCO’s network. Communities can look forward to cultural programs that celebrate local identities while inviting global audiences to participate in workshops, pop-up exhibitions, and collaborative performances. The joint recognition also invites media attention, scholarly research, and a steady stream of international visitors eager to explore Saudi Arabia’s evolving creative landscape.
Conclusion: a shared journey toward creative excellence
The addition of Madinah and Riyadh to UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network marks a new chapter in Saudi Arabia’s cultural narrative. By elevating culinary heritage and design innovation to the global stage, these cities demonstrate how tradition and modernity can co-exist in a vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive cultural economy. The world is watching as Madinah and Riyadh embark on a collaborative path that could inspire cities around the globe to invest in culture as a driver of growth and connection.
