Flagship Businesses

MEPs Pina Picierno, vice-president of the Parliament, Marcos Ros and Massimiliano Smeriglio, from the Culture Committee and promoters of the meeting, and Louise Haxthausen, director of the UNESCO Office in Brussels, highlighted the initiative that provides a transversal view of the UNESCO Conventions, since many stores are in areas of the World Heritage List and Intangible Cultural Heritage, contributing to the promotion of cultural diversity and the cities of the Creative Cities Network. Within the Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and UN Development.

Montserrat Ballarín , Councilor for Trade, Markets, Consumer Affairs, Internal Affairs and Finance of the Barcelona City Council, promoter of this initiative, together with Monica Lucarelli , Advisor of the Comuni di Roma Roma Capitale, Diogo Moura, Councilor of the Municipal Chamber of Lisbon and Olivia Polski, Deputy Mayor of the Mairie de Paris delivered the Barcelona Declaration for the protection and enhancement of emblematic stores in Europe.

A request was made to support for these establishments and for some pilot actions between parliamentary committees, such as those of Culture and Regional Development. And that the UNESCO office in Brussels could accompany this process.

At the same event, Jordi Tresserras, professor at the Univ. Barcelona and president of ICOMOS Spain and project advisor, presented the genesis and status of the project; and with the representatives of the cities of the initiative, presented the progress made, and how the expansion of the network is being assessed with other cities that have shown interest.

Firm steps to advance, protect and enhance the value of stores, creative workshops, bars, cafes, restaurants, hotels, cinemas, and most emblematic Europe’s theatres as part of the proximity trade for citizens, and last but not least, to promote a more sustainable tourism.