LONDON, August 20, 2008 (AFP) - Glasgow was named a UNESCO City of Music on Wednesday in recognition of its musical past and role in present-day music-making and enjoyment.

It becomes only the third such recipient of the honour, after Bologna in Italy and Seville in Spain, and joins the UN cultural agency's Creative Cities Network, which aims to promote the development of the arts in cities worldwide.

Scotland's capital Edinburgh is already a UNESCO City of Literature.

Koichiro Matsuura, UNESCO's director-general, hailed the award as 'the beginning of what I am sure will be a very rich and fruitful partnership' in a ceremony in Scotland's biggest city Wednesday.

Glasgow's bid to be named a City of Music trumpeted the fact that 127 music events are staged every week in the city, ranging from contemporary to Celtic music, with a wide variety in between.

The city has also given rise to several well-known artists, with Franz Ferdinand and the Fratellis among the most recent such successes.

A new organisation called the Glasgow City of Music will be set up, however, to help the city's musical community grow even further.

'I am thrilled that Glasgow's rich and varied musical heritage has been recognised by UNESCO,' said Glasgow Lord Provost Bob Winter.

'We embrace the award on behalf of our talented musicians and composers whose work has contributed to our great city being given the permanent prestige of being a City of Music.'

Glasgow will now have to report to UNESCO once every two years on its efforts and achievements in music.