UNESCO has designated six new Arab cities as Creative Cities, becoming part of a network coming from all continents and regions with different income levels and populations. The Lebanese capital Beirut, Iraq’s Sleimaniyah, Ramallah in Palestine, Essaouira in Morocco, Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain’s Muharraq have been added to the list along with 60 other cities. “All over the world, these cities, each in its way, make culture the pillar, not an accessory, of their strategy,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay. “This favors political and social innovation and is particularly important for the young generations.” The UNESCO Creative Cities Network now counts a total of 246 cities.