A momentous occasion for India, as Kozhikode (also called Calicut) in North Kerala has become the country’s first-ever UNESCO City of Literature, joining the prestigious network of 55 other literary centers around the world.
UNESCO formally presented the honor to Kozhikode Corporation as the city joined the ranks of 55 newly selected creative cities.
This recognition is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of Kozhikode, home to more than 70 literary figures including KS Pottekkatta, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and MT Vasudevan Nair. So it’s no wonder that Kozhikode is home to around 70 publishing houses, publishing an impressive 500 books a year.
Kozhikode was awarded the tag following an extensive study by architecture and planning students from the National Institute of Technology, Calicut, which highlighted the city’s network of libraries and publishing houses. Additionally, the Government of Kerala has declared 23 June as ‘City of Literature Day’ in Kozhikode, an annual celebration.
Kozhikode has a history of hosting various literary gatherings, including the Kerala Literature Festival.
With the latest additions, the network now has 350 cities in more than a hundred countries, representing seven creative disciplines: Crafts and Folk Arts, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music.
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In India, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh has been included in the Creative Cities Network for music.
The newly designated cities will work with network members to address evolving challenges such as climate change, rising inequality and rapid urbanization, with 68 percent of the world’s population expected to live in urban areas by 2050. We intend to strengthen our resilience against threats.
The newly designated creative cities have been invited to attend UCCN’s annual conference in Portugal in 2024 on the theme of bringing youth to the table for the next decade.
