The city of Edinburgh has been named UNESCO’s first City of Literature and will play a leading role in the Network which seeks to harness the creative potential of cities around the world in the fields of literature, cinema, music, folk art, design, information technology/media arts and gastronomy.

In a letter to congratulate the city, UNESCO’s Assistant Director General for Culture, Mr. Mounir Bouchenaki hailed the potential of the project and Edinburgh’s determination to play a leading role to promote increased support and cooperation between the world’s most creative cities.

‘By sharing the entrepreneurial and creative know-how of your city with others around the world, this initiative of Edinburgh has the potential to achieve a truly global impact,’ said Mr. Bouchenaki. ‘By bringing together the different individuals and organisations of its rich literary heritage in order to foster future literary creativity, this innovative proposal is fully in keeping with the mandate of UNESCO to foster cultural diversity.’

The Creative Cities programme will promote the social and economic development of cities by putting particular emphasis on the role of creativity and the arts in the development of communities and local economies and will create a platform for sharing experiences, building local capacities and increasing the diversity of cultural products in domestic and international markets.

Cities with established creative pedigrees in any of these fields may apply to be endorsed by the Network and join the programme in order not only to ensure their continued role as centres of excellence but also to support other cities, particularly those in developing countries, to develop their own creativity.