On Tuesday, Kozhikode, in Kerala, received official designation as a Unesco City of Literature. Kozhikode is now the only city in India to hold this distinction thanks to this award.

The Kozhikode Corporation was formally bestowed with the honour by Unesco, as the city became one of the fifty-five newly designated creative cities.

Beena Philip, the mayor of Kozhikode Corporation, expressed her excitement over this accomplishment, highlighting how the "City of Literature" designation is an impressive recognition of the city's success in the media and literary arts. She credited the organization's two years of consistent work and the combined efforts of numerous people for this achievement.

The mayor went on to say that the city government intends to launch additional literature promotion initiatives in light of the city's success as a literary hub.

Kerala Literature Festival and other literary events have long been held in Kozhikode.

Following their designation by Unesco Director-General Audrey Azoulay, 55 cities became members of the Unesco Creative Cities Network (UCCN) on Tuesday, World Cities Day. New cities were commended for their creative and culturally-driven development methods, as well as for showcasing cutting-edge human-centered urban design techniques.

Following the most recent additions, the Network currently spans 350 cities in more than 100 nations and seven creative fields: Music, Media Arts, Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, and Literature.

In the category of music, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India, was listed in the Creative Cities Network.

The newly selected cities, with 68% of the world's population expected to live in urban areas by 2050, will collaborate with other network members to strengthen their resilience against changing threats like climate change, rising inequality, and rapid urbanisation.

Bringing youth to the table for the next ten years is the focus of the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference in Portugal, at which the recently named Creative Cities were invited to take part.

Kudos by the PM

“India’s cultural vibrancy shines brighter on the global stage with Kozhikode’s rich literary legacy and Gwalior’s melodious heritage now joining the esteemed UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Congratulations to the people of Kozhikode and Gwalior on this remarkable achievement!” wrote Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a congratulatory message on X on November 1.

“As we celebrate this international recognition, our nation reaffirms its commitment to preserving and promoting our diverse cultural traditions. These accolades also reflect the collective efforts of every individual dedicated to nurturing and sharing our unique cultural narratives,” he continued.

Union Culture Minister G. Kishen Reddy exclaimed: “A proud moment for India. Kozhikode in Kerala has been designated as the UNESCO ‘City of Literature’ and Gwalior as the ‘City of Music’ in the latest UNESCO list of Creative Cities Network. These cities get acknowledged and recognition for their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity. Congratulations to all stakeholders!”

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