Press release -

Montreal inspires Östersund

Montreal in Quebec is Canada's second largest city and has during a long time, strategically worked to make the city more attractive. Östersund draws inspiration from Montreal regarding the future city center development of the Scandinavian city.

– All cities in the world are in transition. Research shows that the focus has shifted from pure trade to consumption in a much broader perspective. Cities that are growing and are successful today are those that can offer the whole palette of meeting arenas, events, commerce, culture and design. Montreal has managed to do that, that’s why we would love to tap into their knowledge, says Anette Tandberg CEO of Destination Östersund.

Link cities and borrow ideas
Östersund and Montreal are both members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). Östersund is City of Gastronomy and Montreal City of Design. During UNESCO's annual meeting in Östersund representatives of the two cities meet to exchange experiences.

– We have a unique opportunity to learn from other cities' successful practices of urban development. Even if everything is not immediately transferable to Östersund, we can be inspired by other cities and make valuable contacts worldwide, says Anette Tandberg.

Many good examples
Montreal is one of the 50 cities that is part of the Good Practice exhibition, showcasing 63 good city development practices, during the second day of the annual meeting, which takes place at Frösö Convention Center.

Two, out of many telling examples from the exhibition:

The South Korean city Seoul show how they revived an abandoned part of the city with a cultural venture. The initiative raised the city's attractiveness, to become an "epicenter of design and creativity”.

Edinburgh in Scottland has developed a form of urban poetry. In a neglected neighbourhood poetry was projected on house walls. The initiative was a collaboration between eleven creative cities’ network members, and poems from all eleven cities were shown. The aim of the initiative was to highlight the urban literary heritage.

– By promoting these good practices, we hope to generate ideas within the network and facilitate new contacts and encourage partnerships. It will enable the member cities to maximise the use of creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable development, says Marion Magen, assistant project manager of Region Jämtland Härjedalen and in charge of the exhibition Good Practices.

Contacts:
Anette Tandberg, Managing Destination Östersund 
anette.tandberg@destinationostersund.se
+46 (0) 70 663 25 10

Marion Magen, assistant project manager and responsible for the exhibition, Region Jämtland Härjedalen marion.magen@regionjh.se
+46 (0) 070 253 14 04

Dag Hartman, project manager for the UNESCO meeting, Region Jämtland Härjedalen
dag.hartman@regionjh.se
+46 (0) 70 660 73 03

Topics

  • Art, Culture, Entertainment

Categories

  • unesco creative cities network

Regions

  • Jämtland

The City of Östersund was designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2010. Östersund was awarded this designation because of the city’s gastronomic entrepreneurs and the Jämtland Härjedalen region’s gastronomic culture and traditions, which are rooted in locally and sustainably produced food.

UNESCO Creative Cities Network 10th Annual Meeting will be held September 14-16 in Östersund, Sweden. Regional Gastronomy and Cutural programme offering events and activities highlighting the cultural profile of Östersund and the Region of Jämtland Härjedalen will be on-going throughout the week.

Contacts

Dag Hartman

Press contact Project leader UNESCO Creative Cities Network Meeting Östersund 2016 Region Jämtland Härjedalen

Sofia Klasson

Press contact Press manager +46705804202

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