Palmela is currently applying to join UNESCO's Creative Cities Network. At present, 180 cities make part of this Network that promotes international cooperation between cities by taking creativity as a strategic element for their sustainable development.
According to UNESCO’s National Commission, the Creative Cities Network, created in 2004, aims at: strengthening the creation, production, distribution and enjoyment of cultural goods and services at the local level; promoting creativity and creative expressions; improving access to and participation in cultural life, as well as the enjoyment of cultural assets, especially among vulnerable groups, including women and young people, and integrating cultural and creative industries into local development plans.
In Portugal, a number of towns are already part of this network: Idanha-a-Nova (Creative City of Music), Óbidos (Creative City of Literature), Amarante (Creative City of Music), Barcelos (Creative City of Handicrafts and Popular Arts), and Braga (Creative City of Arts and Media).
Through partnerships between cultural institutions, professionals, communities, civil society and public and private sectors, the Creative Cities "(...) facilitate the sharing of experiences, knowledge and resources among member cities around the world as a means to promote local creative industries and foster global cooperation for sustainable urban development."