Quanzhou: Creativity as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development
Every city has its own identity, shaped by its unique history, priorities, and ambitions. In Quanzhou, creativity is at the heart of its development strategy, serving as a driver for both innovation and heritage preservation. As one of China’s most historically rich port cities, Quanzhou is leveraging its cultural assets and dynamic gastronomy sector to address modern urban challenges while fostering sustainable growth.
With rising economic prosperity, greater cultural awareness, and a growing demand for high-quality living, Quanzhou stands at a pivotal moment. The city must balance rapid modernization with the preservation of its rich culinary and craft traditions. Key priorities include promoting healthy lifestyles, meeting evolving tourism demands, safeguarding traditional craftsmanship, and generating employment opportunities in the creative economy.
Gastronomy as a Creative Solution
Gastronomy is playing a transformative role in addressing these challenges, offering innovative approaches to sustainable urban development:
Ensuring a Sustainable Food Supply: By establishing an international hub for ingredient trade, advancing local green food industries, and optimizing marine resources, Quanzhou is enhancing food security and environmental sustainability.
Promoting Healthy Diets: Integrating modern nutrition with traditional culinary wisdom, the city is launching public health initiatives to encourage informed and balanced eating habits.
Innovating Cultural Expressions: Through digital initiatives like “Gastronomy Plus,” Quanzhou is merging cuisine with design, music, literature, and crafts, creating immersive cultural experiences that bridge tradition and contemporary creativity.
Quanzhou’s vision aligns with UNESCO’s commitment to cultural diversity and sustainability. By embracing creativity as a force for positive change, the city is shaping a future where heritage and innovation coexist harmoniously, reinforcing its role as a global hub for gastronomic excellence.
Quanzhou’s commitment to sustainable urban development aligns closely with UNESCO’s vision. Over the past two decades, the city has actively engaged in UNESCO’s World Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage nominations, strengthening its understanding of cultural preservation and sustainability. With its deep-rooted history, dynamic port trade, abundant marine resources, and thriving gastronomy industry, Quanzhou is applying to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) as a “Creative City of Gastronomy.”
By achieving this designation, Quanzhou will enhance collaboration with fellow UCCN member cities to drive urban sustainability. Over the next four years, the city will prioritize green industry upgrades, optimize its ecological product supply chain, and boost its creative gastronomy sector. The industry is projected to grow by 10% annually, generating over 100,000 new jobs. Furthermore, Quanzhou aims to integrate gastronomy with crafts, folk art, design, film, literature, media arts, and music, fostering a rich and diverse creative ecosystem at the city level.
Long-term, UNESCO’s expertise in cultural creativity will help Quanzhou refine its strategic development plans, strengthening its role as a global gastronomic hub. The designation will also enhance Quanzhou’s appeal as a premier cultural and culinary tourism destination, attracting visitors and investment while ensuring the sustainable preservation of its heritage.
Major Programmes or Projects Promoting Cultural Participation in the Creative Field
Quanzhou has initiated key programmes to broaden cultural participation and support social inclusivity in the creative sector. The following three major initiatives illustrate its commitment:
“Supporting Dreams Together” Employment and Entrepreneurship Initiative: Since 2021, Quanzhou has invested over USD 1.79 million in this programme, providing culinary skills training to 2,200 individuals with disabilities. Through the “Angel Restaurants” project, the initiative fosters self-employment opportunities and promotes workplace inclusivity.
“Caring for the Elders” Project: This initiative delivers daily meals and entertainment services to over 20,000 senior citizens, ensuring their active engagement in community life and enhancing their well-being.
“Action of Women for Rural Revitalization” Programme: Quanzhou has established 50 model training bases, providing free culinary and business skills education to 53,000 women. This initiative has created over 30,000 job opportunities, promoting gender equality and rural economic empowerment.
Key Initiatives Advancing the UCCN’s Objectives at the City Level
To enhance the role of culture and creativity in sustainable development, Quanzhou has developed the following initiatives:
“Green and Healthy Gastronomy Week” Project: Beginning in 2025, Quanzhou will celebrate UN Sustainable Gastronomy Day annually on June 18. The initiative will include sustainable cooking competitions, health-focused culinary lectures, eco-friendly food delivery campaigns, and interactive cultural performances. These activities aim to promote responsible consumption (SDG12), healthy lifestyles (SDG3), and climate action awareness (SDG13).
“Dining with Arts” Programme: This initiative leverages Quanzhou’s rich culinary traditions by integrating crafts, folk art, and ceramic design into themed banquets. Collaborating with chefs, designers, and cultural heritage practitioners, this programme fosters cultural innovation while enhancing urban cultural vibrancy. Gastronomy Culture Promotion Ambassadors will support outreach through digital media and in-person events, driving synergies between culture and economic development (SDG11).
“Blue Granary” Marine Resource Development Project: Focused on sustainable marine food resources, this initiative includes responsible fishing practices, marine food festivals, educational programmes, and international collaborations. By working with UNESCO and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Quanzhou seeks to share best practices in marine sustainability and ecosystem protection (SDG14, SDG8, SDG11).
International Initiatives Strengthening the UCCN’s Global Impact
Quanzhou is dedicated to international cooperation through the following projects:
“Intangible Cultural Heritage Gastronomy Database” Programme: This initiative will create a digital database preserving gastronomic intangible heritage, accessible to all UCCN cities. It will extend Quanzhou’s cultural expertise to underrepresented regions, such as Africa and the Arab States, supporting digital innovation in food heritage preservation. An annual “Global Gastronomic Intangible Cultural Heritage Dialogue Conference” will further foster cross-cultural exchanges (SDG17).
“Quanzhou International Food Festival” Project: Launching in November 2024, this annual event invites UCCN member cities to showcase their culinary heritage. Along Quanzhou’s historic streets, food stalls, live chef demonstrations, and cultural performances will celebrate the fusion of cuisine, music, and crafts, enhancing cultural tourism and global gastronomic networking (SDG17).
“Gastronomy Education for SDGs Initiative”: Quanzhou will establish the “GastroWorld” digital education platform, offering open-access online courses on traditional culinary skills, regional ingredients, and dietary customs. This initiative will facilitate knowledge exchange among UCCN member cities, fostering innovation in sustainable gastronomy education.
Through these initiatives, Quanzhou is poised to become a global leader in sustainable gastronomy, fostering creativity, cultural exchange, and urban resilience in alignment with the UCCN’s objectives.
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2025-04-18
A Taste of the Oceanic Epic: Decoding Quanzhou’s Maritime Flavour DNA
From the rustic charm of oyster omelettes to the aromatic depth of curry beef, and from the grand banquets of the Song-Yuan Maritime Silk Road to the intricate “Floral Feast” rooted in women’s traditions, Quanzhou’s cuisine is a living archive of oceanic civilisation. It reflects the resilience of coastal communities and the cultural confluence shaped by a thousand years of maritime exchange.
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2025-04-17
Quanzhou’s Ginger Duck Craze: Success, Challenges, and the Road Ahead
Walk through the lively streets of Quanzhou, and you’ll be greeted by the unmistakable aroma of ginger duck simmering in clay pots. This once-humble dish has become a viral sensation, capturing the hearts—and appetites—of both locals and visitors. Its popularity has grown so widespread that some jokingly say: “You’ll smell ginger duck before you see the city.”
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2025-04-16
Meals Given, Never Sold: A Charity Restaurant Bringing Warmth to Quanzhou
This heartwarming restaurant in Quanzhou operates on a unique model: it delivers meals but doesn’t sell them. Anyone in need can receive a free meal, no questions asked. Located on South Zhongshan Road in Licheng District, this charity restaurant has been serving one free meal a day for the past six years. Both its founder and team members are volunteers.
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2025-04-06
2024 Quanzhou National Economic and Social Development Statistical Bulletin Released
Recently, the Quanzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics and the National Bureau of Statistics Quanzhou Survey Team released the 2024 Statistical Bulletin on National Economic and Social Development for Quanzhou.
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2025-03-12
Strengthening African World Heritage Conservation: Quanzhou and UNESCO Launch Trust Fund Project
On 11 March, UNESCO and the Quanzhou Municipal People's Government held a virtual signing ceremony for the China Trust Fund (Quanzhou) Capacity Building Project for African World Heritage Sites, a joint initiative to enhance the conservation and management of World Heritage in Africa.