The Creative City of Rasht

In 2004, UNESCO started a new program titled The Creative Cities Network. Focusing on cities that use “identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development” (retrieved from UNESCO official website) 116 cities were registered in this section attempt to promote their cities with cultural activities and services, support and encourage local creative productions and turn them into a sustainable development plan. The network has seven sections: Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts, Film, Design, Gastronomy, Literature, and Music.

From Iran, 4 cities were registered. Rasht in the Gastronomy section. Rasht is a city full of edible plants and vegetables, adding it to seafood and birds, a vast range of food is produced. Rasht’s cuisine includes more than 170 local dishes, 60 of which are winter dishes. Unlike many places around the world that face a scarcity of variety in cold seasons, Rasht has 60 dishes that are made with products only accessible in winter.