Glasgow hits high notes to become official Unesco 'City of Music'
19 Aug 2008, 1711 Hrs

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London, Aug 19 (ANI): Glasgow has become an official Unesco City of Music, it has emerged.

The city is expected to be named an official City of Music on August 19 by the United Nations cultural body Unesco.

Only two other European cities - Seville and Bologna - have been awarded the title, which is expected to boost business and tourism. he bid highlighted Glasgow's rich musical heritage which ranges from Celtic Connections to Lulu, while the city has nurtured some of the UK's top bands including Franz Ferdinand, Belle and Sebastian and Travis.

Koïchiro Matsuura, the director-general of Unesco, who will visit the Edinburgh Fringe on Aug 19 during his first visit to Scotland, has spent months examining Glasgow's bid.

"It was going to take months, but he was really keen to announce it. He will be giving them the letter. It's quite amazing he will be there to do it," The Scotsman quoted a source, as saying.

In June, a high-profile delegation including Linda Fabiani, Scotland's culture minister, Robert Winter, Glasgow's Lord Provost, and Tom Thomson, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) chairman, flew to the Paris headquarters of the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to submit a 50-page brochure outlining the official bid.

The bid also had the backing of Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, and the Scots violinist Nicola Benedetti. (ANI)