Bengaluru becomes first Indian city to join WCCF, ‘city festival’ likely to be held in December

Bengaluru has been tagged along with another crown to its name, being the first Indian city to join World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF). WCCF is a forum, founded by London’s Mayor in the year 2012. It’s a global network connecting 40 cities, which share the cultural significance of the cities for the prosperity of the future.

Bengaluru has joined a network of 40 cities all over the world. The cities include New York, Paris, Tokyo, Dubai, London and others. The WCCF works with the Unboxing BLR foundation to make the city more vibrant and reach the level of being a world-class city. The website of BLR states, “to curate, facilitate and catalyze activities to enable citizens and communities of Bengaluru to engage better with the city.”

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Bengaluru stood out in the forum, for its sheer commitment to an inclusive and globalised culture, stated Justine Simons, founder and the chairperson of WCCF, also deputy mayor of Culture and Creative Industries (London). 

Justine Simons pointed out that Bengaluru is a rapidly growing city, recognized globally as a tech hub, and at the same time, it boasts a rich and diverse cultural heritage. She mentioned that there is a strong ambition and drive in Bengaluru to promote its cultural identity alongside its reputation as a technology centre. She believes that by combining the cultural and tech narratives, Bengaluru can further boost its economy and elevate its status as a prominent global city.

Responding to the feat, the Chairperson of Unboxing BLR foundation, Prashanth Prakash stated that Bengaluru was a microcosm of a new aspirational India. He said that the best of Indian talent resides in Bengaluru.

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The city consists of a vibrant design and theatre community, including several museums and a cosmopolitan food culture. The foundation will concentrate on highlighting these aspects to WCCF in a structured manner, he added. 

Meanwhile, a ‘city festival’ is expected to be organised by Prashanth Prakash and Malini Goyal, founder of Unboxing BLR in December for the occasion of Bengaluru joining the WCCF forum, and for the exchange of cultural learning.