The UNESCO Studio will support the mission and activities of the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR), a global UNESCO-led network, by providing expert guidance to its 700 member cities. This bilateral commitment marks a significant milestone in the longstanding collaboration between the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape—founder of the UNESCO Studio—and UNESCO’s anti-racism and anti-discrimination programme, which coordinates ICCAR.
Founded in 2003, the UNESCO Studio is a research-action and creative initiative developed by the UNESCO Chair. It has contributed to the transformation of global cities such as Marrakech, Seoul, Évry, Kobe, São Paulo, and Shanghai. Today, the Studio takes on a new mission: supporting cities facing growing threats from the very rivers that have sustained their development. Since 2023, UNESCO Studio experts have worked in Hanoi and Phnom Penh—two major river cities—and will continue their work in 2025 in New Orleans, on the Mississippi.
Launched by UNESCO in 2004, ICCAR supports local governments in addressing discrimination across diverse areas such as education, employment, housing, and cultural life. In line with the New Urban Agenda adopted at Habitat III, ICCAR has become a collective voice for cities tackling the challenges of rapid urbanization, increased human mobility, and deepening social inequalities