In the late 1980’s, a British scholar named Charles Landry introduced the concept of Creative Cities, an initiative aimed to harness community intellectual and cultural capita to foster socio-economic growth, which in this case carry along another impact of cultural preservation. His idea that has currently grown into a global movement attempts to detach arts and culture from just having decorative purposes, and to embrace it as resources with massive potentials to drive urban regeneration (Vickery, 2011). Seeing its potential to propel three elements of social, economy and culture at the same time, aptly considered as the key elements of sustainability, the creative cities initiative is seen as a viable alternative method for the government
Since its establishment, the Network has managed to register 69 member cities divided in seven creative industry themes. These cities have been successful in sprouting new entrepreneurships in cultural industry pinned in the city’s strongest cultural identity and in transforming the local economy for the better. The city of Aswan in Egypt was the first city in the Network registered under the category of Crafts and Folk Art in 2005. Over the past ten years since its inscription, the city has evolved into one of the leading creative hubs in the world through the maximization of folk arts and craftworks from the time of Pharaohs. Its cultural potential has stimulated the emergence of new cultural entrepreneurs, establishment of new art institutions and creative exchange between the actors and the business investors, tourists, and arts and culture enthusiasts (UNESCO, n.d.). The labeling of UNESCO Creative City has propelled even more the city’s already blooming economic, social and cultural progress from its cultural industry; it has seen a growth in micro-economy industries from new emergence of craftworks artisans, improved community involvement such as in the museums management, enhanced cultural identity of the Nubian community, revival of its folk arts, and a stronger social cohesion (Aswan UNESCO’ Creative City in Folk Art, n.d.). The city of Aswan is one of the living proofs how cultural industries can be utilized to support inclusive human development. Intangible cultural heritage assets such as this can also be capitalized in the fight against illiteracy, poverty, conflicts and inequality.