Kozhikode won a spot in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) ‘Literature’ category in October 2023. Known for its rich cultural legacy, Kozhikode in the north was formally named India’s first UNESCO “City of Literature” on Sunday.
At a formal function held here on Sunday, State Local Self Government Department (LSGD) Minister M B Rajesh highlighted Kozhikode’s accomplishment, earning it a spot in the UCCN’s “Literature” category.
According to Mr. Rajesh, it is a city with a spirit that is marked by harmony, humanity, a strong sense of justice, and freedom of speech. “These core values have given birth to the vibrant art of Kozhikode,” added Rajesh.
The minister stated that Kozhikode’s smooth operation was a key factor in the city’s designation as a ‘City of Literature’ by UNESCO, surpassing more culturally advanced towns such as Kolkata.
The state government has declared that June 23 will be observed as the ‘City of Literature’ Day of Kozhikode in the upcoming year. Kozhikode is a city renowned for writers such as the late S K Pottakkad and Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. According to a release from the LSGD, special awards will be given out in six categories on this day.
UNESCO’s “City of Literature” logo was introduced by Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas during the ceremony. Rajesh paid a visit to M T Vasudevan Nair, the recipient of the Jnanpith award, and presented him with the Diamond Jubilee award, which was established by the Kozhikode city corporation.
Once known as the city of Zamorins, Kozhikode—also called Calicut during British rule—acted as the entry point to the coast for numerous foreigners centuries ago, including Persians, Arabs, Chinese, and eventually Europeans. Kozhikode, the birthplace of Kerala’s liberation fight, has always been a popular site for book festivals.
For many years, the renowned Malayalam writer M T Vasudevan Nair’s literary endeavors were centered in Kozhikode, a city with more than 500 active libraries.
Among the 55 new cities to join the UCCN are Gwalior and Kozhikode in India. On October 31, World Cities Day, the updated list was made available on the website.
The UN agency had stated in a statement that these new cities were recognized for “their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity as part of their development strategies and displaying innovative practices in human-centered urban planning.”
Kozhikode secured a spot in the ‘Literature’ category, while Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh made it to the coveted list in the ‘Music’ category.
These cities join Bukhara (Crafts and Folk Art), Casablanca (Media Arts), Chongqing (Design), Kathmandu (Film), Rio de Janeiro (Literature), and Ulaanbaatar (Crafts and Folk Art) as locations that have been designated by UNESCO.
Following the most recent additions, the UCCN now includes 350 cities from over 100 nations, spanning seven creative industries: music, media arts, crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, and media arts.
UNESCO announced in a statement that the newly designated Creative Cities are invited to take part in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference, which will be held in Braga, Portugal, July 1–5, 2024, with the subject “Bringing Youth to the Table for the Next Decade.”
