Kathmandu: Lalitpur Metropolitan City has been declared a ‘UNESCO Creative City of Music’ by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on November 1, coinciding with World Cities Day 2025.
UNESCO said the recognition honors Lalitpur’s rich musical heritage and its dedication to using creativity for sustainable urban development. “This is a historic achievement for every resident and musician of Lalitpur and a moment of great pride for all of Nepal,” the statement added.
With this, Nepal now has two UNESCO Creative Cities: Kathmandu for film and Lalitpur for music.
Launched in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) connects cities that use creativity to promote sustainable development across economic, social, cultural, and environmental aspects. Other cities named Creative Cities of Music include Kyiv (Ukraine), Liege (Belgium), New Orleans (USA), Niksic (Montenegro), and Wuxi (China).
