City Ideas – City Ideas

2023 World Conference on Cultural Cities kicks off in Chengdu

City Ideas — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 12:00:36 +0000

On October 16, the 2023 World Conference on Cultural Cities, themed on “Cross-cultural Cooperation in the Creative Industry,” kicked off in Chengdu. The conference aims to further deepen Chengdu’s exchanges and mutual learning with other parts of the world and to release opportunities for the development of the creative industry.

The conference is hosted by the Chengdu Municipal Government, in collaboration with World Cities Culture Forum, supported by the China Cultural Industry Association, co-hosted by Taihe Think Tank and the Zhongguancun Digital Cultural Industry Alliance, and undertaken by the Chengdu Media Group and the Chengdu Cultural Industry Development Promotion Center.

The conference brought together guests and cultural and creative enterprises from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Australia, Canada, South Korea, and Indonesia, as well as domestic cultural celebrities and leading cultural and creative enterprises.

At the conference, Justine Simons, Deputy Mayor of London and Chair of the World Cities Culture Forum, delivered a speech via video.

Paul Owens, Co-founder and Director of BOP Consulting, and Former Director of WCCF, released the Report on Cities as World Centers of Culture and Creativity on behalf of the conference, outlining the latest “map” of world cultural and creative center cities.

Additionally, the conference specially planned two major events: the World Cultural Cities Global Roadshow and the 2023 City Ideas· World Cities Creative Exhibition.

The World Cultural Cities Global Roadshow, which took place on the morning of October 16, aims to promote outstanding cultural and creative projects and brands, build a platform for cultural and creative industries to connect with financial capital, and promote the development and innovation of cultural and creative industries.

The 2023 City Ideas · World Cities Creative Exhibition is divided into three sections: the International Pavilion, the Chengdu Pavilion, and the Activity Zone. The exhibition is located near Chengdu Taikoo-Li. In two days (October 16-17), you can experience the creativity of the world in Chengdu.

2022 City Ideas – World Conference on Cultural Cities Convenes Global Experts in Chengdu

City Ideas — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 12:00:48 +0000

Chengdu, China – In a remarkable gathering of minds, the City Ideas – World Conference on Cultural Cities, a prominent global culture and creativity forum, successfully convened in Chengdu. In collaboration with the World Cities Culture Forum, Chengdu Media Group, and Chengdu Cultural Industry Development Promotion Center, the conference illustrated Chengdu’s commitment to fostering a vibrant cultural exchange.

Adopting an innovative “offline + online” format, the main venue in Chengdu was complemented by offline sub-venues in Shanghai and London, alongside more than ten online sub-venues worldwide. This hybrid approach ensured an inclusive platform for dialogue and collaboration.

Focusing on the theme of “Cities with Ideas”, the conference brought together member cities of the World Cities Culture Forum and global urban cultural and creative elites, aiming to promote the interaction of urban cultural and creative industries, cross-border cooperation of outstanding enterprises, and jointly strengthen international cooperation and innovation in the creative economy. Emphasising the crucial role of urban cultural and creative industries in shaping the future, esteemed speakers from various fields shared their insights, highlighting the intersection of culture, technology, and urban development.

In the afternoon, specialists and experts from related fields gathered online and offline to attend the event to witness the vigorous development of the city’s cultural and creative industry and express their insights in the cultural field, including John Howkins, Chair of City Ideas, along with Justin Simons, chair of the World Cities Culture Forum and Deputy Mayor of London, Ludi, director of the Audiovisual Communication Research Center at Peking University, Luo Jun, Executive Chairman of the China Computer Industry Association Metaverse Industry Special Committee, etc.

In London, Justine Simons released the ground-breaking report – “World Cities Culture Report”, sharing case studies of major cultural cities. Paul Owens, co-founder and director of BOP, released his report. Ferdinand Klauser, global partner of KISKA and manager of China, delivered a keynote speech on the theme of Designing Desire.

The roster of speakers was a testament to the conference’s high caliber. Renowned experts and specialists from across the globe contributed their knowledge and perspectives, fostering a rich environment for learning and discussion. The topics covered gave attendees a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing cultural cities today.

“The City Ideas – World Conference on Cultural Cities has set a new benchmark for global cultural forums,” said John Howkins, the chair of City Ideas. “We aimed to bring together the best minds in the field, and we are proud to say that we achieved that. The insights and ideas shared here will undoubtedly influence cities’ cultural and creative landscapes worldwide.”

2021 World Cities Culture Forum Conference kicks off in Chengdu, exploring real-world solutions to sustainability

City Ideas — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 12:00:49 +0000

CHENGDU, China, Nov. 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The 2021 World Cities Culture Forum Conference was launched in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan, on November 4.

The two-day event, hosted by the World Cities Culture Forum and held in a primarily virtual format, brought together big names from the global culture industry, institutional representatives and city officials to share unique insights into topics including construction of park cities, development of creative economy, and climate change under the theme of “World Park City – Culture and Sustainable Development”.

Another important part of the conference was the City Case Report on Culture and Sustainable Development released online by Paul Owens. According to the report, the cultural and creative industries can not only work to reduce environmental footprint, but can also provide inspiration for behaviour change which is urgently needed.

Practices of a few established and emerging world cities in integrating cultural and environmental agendas were highlighted in the report. Chengdu’s strong push for “city within a park” is one of them. Notably, a vital element of the city’s park city concept is the setting it provides for cultural activities.

Key to the city’s green vision, the Tianfu Greenway with a planned length of 16,900 kilometers connects many of Chengdu’s major cultural and historic attractions such as Kuanzhai Alley and DuFu Thatched Cottage as well as ecological areas and wetlands, green spaces and community gardens. Through such practice, the city aims to explore a new development model and generate a driving force for sustainable development.

Following the conference, a series of events will be carried out to deliver more opportunities for international cooperation.

2020 The Third Edition of World Cities Culture Forum: Tianfu Symposium Inaugurated

City Ideas — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 10:00:51 +0000

Chengdu, China – The third edition of the World Cities Culture Forum: Tianfu Symposium commenced on October 28 and 29, 2020, in Chengdu. Themed “From Cultural Space to Urban Identity,” the forum brought together hundreds of prominent global cultural figures, industry leaders, and authoritative institutions to delve into vital issues such as cultural and urban identity, and the inheritance and innovation of cultural heritage.

This year’s symposium, focusing on the resilience of culture in times of crisis and challenge, showcased Chengdu’s robust cultural resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chengdu’s deep cultural roots and recent advancements in the “Three Cities and Three Capitals” initiative were credited for the city’s rapid return to normalcy and the stimulation of internal economic dynamics, promoting high-quality economic development.

The two-day event featured a series of engaging activities, including Cultural Heritage and Urban Development Panel, Fashion and Creative Design and Urban Space Panel, and the Sino-European Cultural Tourism Innovation Development (Chengdu) Summit. These sessions highlighted cultural, tourism, and fashion design trends, offering strategic advice for Chengdu’s development as a world-renowned cultural city.

Key reports were released, focusing on emerging urban cultural spaces worldwide. Paul Owens, Director of the World Cultural Cities Forum, presented a significant report titled “World Emerging Cities – From Cultural Space to Urban Identity,” providing a comprehensive analysis of classic cultural spaces in cities worldwide.

The forum also featured insightful discussions from domestic and international cultural experts on the relationship between culture and urban development. Jodi Pascale, founding member of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Culture Committee, shared classic cases of city tourism destinations, contributing to Chengdu’s journey towards becoming a renowned world tourism city.

Chengdu’s approach to integrating urban culture and functionality has significantly enhanced the city’s attractiveness as a world cultural city. International cultural experts praised Chengdu’s development in innovative fields such as music, fashion, and design, citing its citizens’ rich cultural atmosphere and active cultural participation as direct reflections of its cultural soft power.

One of the forum’s highlight sessions, the Cultural Heritage and Urban Development Panel, focused on the interplay between cultural heritage and urban development. Discussions revolved around continuing the city’s cultural essence, driving urban development through innovation, and creating unique cultural identities for cities.

The panel featured keynote speeches from Tomislav Corak, President of the European Heritage Association and Chairman of the World’s Largest Heritage Conference in Zagreb, and Huo Wei, Dean of the College of History and Culture at Sichuan University, who outlined the thousands of years of cultural development in Chengdu. The roundtable discussions, led by experts in various fields, focused on “Cultural Inheritance and Innovation in Cities,” acknowledging Chengdu’s accelerated development of the “Three Cities and Three Capitals” initiative.

Chengdu’s fashion industry was also a focal point, with the city emerging as a leading fashion hub in China. The Fashion and Creative Design and Urban Space panel, held at the Niccolo Hotel in Chengdu, included speeches from Zhang Jinquan, Director of Chengdu’s Bureau of Commerce, and William Knight, Chairman of RENEW Consulting Company. The panel featured a star-studded lineup of fashion industry leaders and experts, exploring the creation of urban fashion and art spaces and the development paths of the fashion economy.

The Sino-European Cultural Tourism Innovation Development (Chengdu) Summit, with the theme “Cultural Tourism Innovation in the Post-Pandemic Era,” focused on Sino-European bilateral advantages in cultural tourism industry resources, effective promotion of cultural tourism crossover integration, and innovative development in the construction of world tourism cities.

Chengdu’s commitment to cultural development and tourism has shown impressive results. In 2019, the city welcomed 280 million tourists, a 15.24% increase from the previous year, with total tourism revenue reaching 466.35 billion yuan, a 25.6% increase. Chengdu’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic involved proactive measures in the cultural tourism sector, implementing 20 major policies for the cultural tourism industry and actions like the “Cultural Creativity Common Boat Action,” leading to the rapid recovery of the cultural tourism industry.

In addition to these discussions, the forum included other significant activities such as the 6th China Art Finance Annual Conference and the launch of the World Cultural Cities Global Roadshow Alliance, focusing on project exchanges, industry interaction, and financing connections.

Undoubtedly, this year’s World Cities Culture Forum: Tianfu Symposium showcased Chengdu’s achievements in the cultural city and international consumer centre city development and actively explored heritage protection, innovation in the cultural tourism industry, and fashion creativity in the post-pandemic era. This exploration is expected to foster more international cooperation opportunities, accelerating Chengdu’s progress towards becoming a world-renowned cultural city.

Anren: the Best Practice of Balancing Authenticity and Innovation in Cultural Tourism

City Ideas — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 12:00:42 +0000

At the 2019 Belt and Road World Cities Cultural Tourism Forum in Anren, Chengdu. Senior officials from Dayi county joined international experts to discuss the future of cultural tourism. The group witnessed the launch of the Belt and Road World Cities Culture Creativity Centre and its accompanying report reviewing worldwide trends in cultural tourism.

Chair of the Belt and Road World Cities Centre, John Howkins, expressed his gratitude to County Mayor of Dayi County LIAN Hua and Vice General manager of OCT Group Western China QIAO Xiaoyan, for hosting the launch of the centre and supporting its objectives of initiating cultural exchange projects between China and the world. Howkins told the invited guests that the centre’s focus would be to nurture projects which developed forms of ‘applied creativity’ between cities around the worldwide.

The report, which was written by BOP Consulting, focused on trends within cultural tourism and its importance for China’s economic trajectory. It highlighted specific opportunities for, and lessons to be learned from, Anren and Dayi county. The report concluded that Anren is a leading cultural innovator in tourism both domestically and internationally. Anren is a fast-growing tourism destination with renowned Jianchuan museum cluster, the old town, including Liu’s Manor, and multiple projects developed by OCT group, is focused on investing in culture to attract domestic and international visitors by balancing authenticity and innovation, and is leading the next phase of the transformation of tourism infrastructure in China.

International experts from London, Barcelona, Quebec City, Rotterdam and Manchester congratulated Fan Jianchuan for his vision in developing the museum cluster. Experts commended the important role the museum had in preserving public memory, and expressed the view that it had significant appeal for international audiences. Denis Ricard, the Secretary General of the World Heritage Cities Organisation said “I have travelled to many cities in the world but I have never seen anything like this museum cluster, you have local authenticity, please do not lose it.”

The delegation toured the city of Anren over a three-day period, discussing with Anren OCT management, local entrepreneurs and tourism and culture professionals about best practice and innovation in cultural tourism. The Director of the World Cities Culture Forum stated that Anren is rich in heritage and diversity of experiences, it should invite tourists to consider themselves as temporary citizen in order to preserve local authenticity and support local economy.

2019: Top Cultural Think Tanks Gather in Chengdu to Discuss Cultural Development and Opportunities for the City

City Ideas — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 21:00:14 +0000

CHENGDU, China, July 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — On July 23, “2019 The 2^nd World Cultural Capitals Tianfu Symposium” sponsored by Chengdu Municipal People’s Government and organized by Chengdu Media Group was unveiled in Chengdu. Representatives from 21 member cities of the World Cultural Capitals Symposium from 42 countries and regions around the world, and representatives from 11 key cities along “the Belt and Road”, as well as over 300 representatives of well-known cultural creativity organizations and cultural celebrities gathered in Chengdu, China, to discuss cultural development and city opportunities.

For the first time, the Symposium released the World’s New Growth Cities Charm Index on Cultural Creativity report, which was commissioned by Nielsen, a world-renowned data and research company. The report takes six dimensions of city economic power, city consumption power, cultural soft power, innovative leading power, talent gathering power and international influence as its charm index on cultural creativity, and constructs an evaluation index system to measure the city culture and innovation development. According to the report, Chengdu is a city that combines culture and innovation and will become one of the fastest growing cities in the world in the next ten years.

At the scene of the Symposium, the “Tianfu Smart Media City Project” was officially launched to the world. It is reported that Tianfu Smart Media City is a world-class smart media industry cluster built in Chengdu by Chengdu Media Group, with the world leading Media City UK of Manchester and Dubai Media City as benchmarks. The project site has been confirmed as located in Singapore-Sichuan Hi-Tech Innovation Park and Chengdu High-tech Zone. It will be developed step-by-step in 3-5 years.

At the same time, a “Hand in Hand” campaign for museums is jointly launched at the Symposium by Rotterdam Museum in the Netherlands, Tate Modern in London, Dunhuang Academy China, Liangzhu Museum (Research Institute) and Wu Hou Shrine of Chengdu. The campaign aims to strengthen the exchanges and cooperation among international museums, build a community with a shared cultural future of various countries and promote global cultural prosperity.

Chengdu – The first presence of Chinese City in SXSW

City Ideas — Sat, 09 Mar 2019 12:00:01 +0000

AUSTIN, March 8 – A delegation from Chengdu, including representatives of officials from publicity Department of the CPC Chengdu Municipal Committee, culture and technology companies visited Austin, Texas for South by Southwest (SXSW). The visit is aimed to promote the development of Chengdu and enhance the mutually beneficial relationship between Chengdu and Austin.

South by Southwest (SXSW) is a collection of music, film and interactive conferences and festivals held annually in Austin. It kicked off on March 8, Friday, drawing more than 400,000 industries professional from more than 100 countries worldwide.

During the Chengdu Promotion event at Austin City Hall, Zhang Yingming, Deputy Director- General Publicity Department of the CPC Chengdu Municipal Committee, introduced the Chengdu’s development strategies and achievements in recent years. In the speech, Zhang featured Chengdu’s political, economic, social-cultural and technological advancements as one of the fastest-growing cities in China. He also highlighted the goal of “Three Cities and Three Capitals”, which contributes to the faster development of a world-famous cultural city.

“Chengdu has established the strategic goal of ‘one mountain connects two wings’ and has started the change of the millennium,” Zhang said. “Chengdu culture and economy lead China’s western region, and Chengdu is becoming a China’s new first-tier city.”

Chengdu and Austin are both members of World Cities Culture Forum and have every intention of becoming friend cities. “I’m really excited to see the size of the delegation, and it’s the first Chinese government delegation coming to Austin and SXSW,” said Steve Adler, the mayor of Austin. “The more people that are involved, the better chances we would have for this ongoing relationship, and it’s also encouraging for our future collaboration.”

After the promotion event, City of Chengdu hosted Chengdu Night – a reception presented by China Gathering@SXSW. During the event, Chengdu traditional tea ceremony and Sichuan face-changing opera have been performed, which amazed the guests by its uniqueness and stimulated their interest in learning more about Chengdu’s culture.

“They are both located in the southwest of the country, and they both center on improving the cultural environment and see innovation as the main driving force for development,” said Ambassador Li Qiangmin, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Houston. “I hope we can see more dynamic groups like the Chengdu to show their strength and potential in SXSW and work with the top institutions in the world to create a global innovation map.”

2018: World Cities Culture Symposium: Leaders gather in Chengdu to sign declaration of cooperation through cultural exchange

City Ideas — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 11:49:57 +0000

CHENGDU, China, June 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Leaders from cities in 30 countries, including Deputy Mayors and senior officials from London, New York, Paris and Moscow, gathered in Chengdu for the World Cities Culture (Tianfu) Symposium. The delegates witnessed the signing of a declaration of cooperation between Chengdu and World Cities committing to fostering cultural exchange initiatives with each other. The Chengdu based Belt and Road World Cities Culture Centre establishment was also announced during the event.

At the event a report, produced by leading London consultancy BOP, was launched which assessed the potential of world cities to use culture as a means of facilitating trade and investment. In it, Chengdu was described as a ‘pioneering emerging world city,’ due to its policy and vision for investment in both infrastructure and culture. The report emphasised that Chengdu’s cultural vision would mean that it plays an important role in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, as a significant gateway to link with other world cities.

Delegates at the conference heard from Paul Owens, Director of World Cities Culture Forum and Founder of BOP who said “Our report shows that infrastructure and systems are fundamental to good growth but without the balance of making places for people, our cities will not succeed. Chengdu’s long history and prioritisation of social harmony and aesthetics will hold it in good stead as it seeks to build a stable economy and international links.”

World Cities Cultural Forum, a network of over 35 cities initiated by the Mayor of London, received an introduction of well wishes by London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Economy Justine Simons. Her message was reinforced by representative and special advisor Laia Gasch who said “Cities such as London and Chengdu must be liveable and loveable; Chengdu’s emphasis on being an open and inclusive city is an example approach for cities in responding to trends in the contemporary economy”.

The symposium was hosted by Chengdu Municipal Government, over two days in which city leaders have been introduced to Chengdu’s long-term planning; experiencing the Tianfu Culture. John Howkins, a well know British economist said: “Chengdu’s long-term planning in culture and creative sectors has demonstrate the vision of openness and cooperation. Chengdu will contribute to the success of the belt and road initiative by developing a cultural dimension to the initiative.”