Bengaluru has joined the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), on Thursday, July 27, and becomes the first Indian city to achieve the feat. Founded by the office of the Mayor of London in 2021, WCCF is a global network of nearly 40 cities, which provides a way for policy makers in these cities to share research and intelligence, and explore the vital role of culture for their future prosperity.

WCCF has said that the Bengaluru city leaders will work alongside counterparts from other places, including Buenos Aires, London, New York and Tokyo for the city’s growth and investment. WCCF will also work closely with Unboxing BLR Foundation, a not-for-profit initiative which aspires to make Bengaluru a vibrant, inclusive and global city. According to its website, Unboxing BLR is an initiative “to curate, facilitate and catalyze activities that will enable the citizens and communities of Bangalore to engage better with their city,” and was founded in April 2022.

In an exclusive interview for The Hindu, London’s Deputy Mayor of Culture and the Creative Industries, and Founder and Chair of World Cities Culture Forum Justine Simons OBE has said that WCCF has been keen to work with an Indian city. “Bengaluru is a fast-growing city. It’s very diverse and has a big commitment to culture. It feels like there is real ambition and drive in Bengaluru around the culture story. It is known as a tech city in the rest of the world. This is a fantastic opportunity for Bengaluru to bring the cultural story alongside the tech story, and to really grow its economy and its status as a global city,” she added.

Chairman of Unboxing BLR Foundation Prashanth Prakash has said that Bengaluru was a microcosm of the new aspirational India. “We have the best of Indian talent here. We have a vibrant design and theatre community, several museums and a cosmopolitan food culture. We will concentrate on bringing these aspects to WCCF in a structured manner," Prakash said.