The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Unesco delegates from across the world on way to Dundee
HERITAGE: Group to spend five days learning about city’s varied history
More than 30 delegates from fellow Unesco cities of design are to arrive in Dundee to delve into the city’s history.
Hailing from all over the world, the visitors – who each represent another Unesco-designated city of design – will spend five days on Tayside learning about their newest partner and its showpiece V&A museum.
Dundee was named a Unesco city of design in 2014, and is the only place in the UK to hold the accolade.
The envoys will enjoy a welcome reception on Monday evening and a guided city walk with Dark Dundee tours.
On Tuesday, the group will tour the Kengo Kuma-designed V&A Dundee, which saw its 100,000th visitor pass through the door this week following a remarkable opening month.
A PechaKucha event, where presenters show 20 images and talk for 20 seconds on each as part of a quick-fire presentation, will entertain the guests at the Steeple church on Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday the travellers will present workshops on their own home cities of design, before enjoying a meal in the DC Thomson Meadowside building’s Vista Room.
Dundee City Council leader John Alexander said the delegates themselves had voted to come to Dundee at a recent meeting, adding: “At a time when there is too much inward looking, Dundee is continuing to punch above its weight and to make connections on a global scale.”
Next week’s event trails what will hopefully be a worldwide celebration of Dundee’s cultural hotspot status in 2022.
The Courier revealed plans to bring the Creative Cities World Festival to the city earlier this year, in the wake of Dundee missing out on the European Capital of Culture bid for 2023.