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Kozhikode: India’s First UNESCO City of Literature
Context:
Kozhikode, a city in northern Kerala known for its rich cultural heritage, was officially recognized as India’s first ‘City of Literature’ category of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
More on News:
- Announced on World Cities Day, October 31.
- Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas unveiled the UNESCO ‘City of Literature’ logo as part of the event.
- June 23 will be celebrated as the ‘City of Literature’ Day of Kozhikode starting next year.
- Special awards in six categories will be announced on this day.
Significance of the City:
- Recognized for their commitment to cultural and creative development, and innovative human-centred urban planning.
- Formerly known as the city of Zamorins and Calicut during British rule.
- Served as a gateway for Persians, Arabs, Chinese, and Europeans centuries ago.
- Cradle of the freedom movement in Kerala.
- Kozhikode has over 500 libraries and has been the base of literary activities for M T Vasudevan Nair. Important destination for book festivals for many decades.
- Kozhikode is home to literary greats like late S K Pottakkad and Vaikom Muhammed Basheer.
Categories and Other Cities:
- Gwalior is recognized in the ‘Music’ category.
- Kozhikode is recognized in the ‘Literature’ category.
- Other cities include Bukhara (Crafts and Folk Art), Casablanca (Media Arts), Chongqing (Design), Kathmandu (Film), Rio de Janeiro (Literature), Ulaanbaatar (Crafts and Folk Art).
Overview of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN):
- UCCN is UNESCO’s flagship city programme, established in 2004.
- The Network covers seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts, Film, Design, Gastronomy, Literature and Music.
- Comprises around 350 cities.
- Mission and Goals:
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- Leverage culture and creativity to build sustainable cities.
- Aid in achieving SDG 11 on sustainable cities.
- Foster collaboration across seven creative fields.
- Support cultural diversity across various regions and settings.
- Leverage culture and creativity to build sustainable cities.
- Vision:
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- Reinforce culture-powered urban development to transform societies, strengthen communities, and enhance city attractiveness.
- Emphasise culture’s role in collective well-being and local development.
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The other Indian cities in the list are:
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