KUCHING: Datuk Wee Hong Seng, Mayor of Kuching South, proudly represented Malaysia and the city of Kuching at the XVII UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) Annual Conference held from June 24 to 28, 2025 in Enghien-les-Bains, France.
Themed around cultural innovation and sustainability, the prestigious gathering brought together over 350 member cities from 100 countries, spanning seven creative fields.
As Malaysia’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, designated in 2021, Kuching has made significant strides in promoting community-based initiatives that fuse gastronomy, heritage, and sustainability.
The city’s participation in UCCN underscores its commitment to culture as a transformative force in sustainable urban development.
A key highlight of the conference was Wee’s presentation at the Mayors’ Forum – attended by 95 city leaders worldwide – where, in his speech titled ‘From Braga to Borneo: Implementing the Braga Manifesto through Gastronomy and Culture in Support of the Mondiacult 2025 Agenda’, he outlined Kuching’s efforts to integrate cultural policy into local governance, promote social inclusion, and drive economic empowerment.
“This international platform provided Kuching the privilege to showcase how a city in Borneo has translated the Braga Manifesto and Mondiacult 2025 agenda into tangible community-based programs that preserve heritage while driving forward a sustainable, inclusive future,” Wee said.
His participation reaffirmed Kuching’s commitment to UNESCO’s vision of culture as a global public good and highlighted the city’s proactive role in aligning with the post-2030 international development agenda.
The conference also served as a valuable opportunity for Kuching to explore strategic collaborations with other Creative Cities in areas such as gastronomy, crafts, folk arts, design, literature, and more.
Wee’s presence and leadership at the event once again placed Kuching on the global map as a city that not only celebrates its rich cultural identity but also actively contributes to shaping a sustainable and creative future through international partnerships.
