Kozhikode in Kerala becomes India’s first UNESCO City of Literature

Kozhikode has recently been recognized by UNESCO as the first Indian 'City of Literature' under the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

What is the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)?

1. About:

1. Established in 2004, the UCCN fosters cooperation among cities that prioritize creativity and cultural industries as drivers of sustainable urban development.
2. It encompasses 7 creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts, and Music.
3. The network's annual conference brings together mayors and stakeholders to strengthen ties and share best practices. The 2024 conference was held in Braga, Portugal.

2. Objective:
   1. In 2024, 350 cities make up this network which aims towards a common objective of placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.
   2. The UNESCO Creative Cities aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 11 through innovative thinking and action to benefit communities at the urban level.

Kozhikode: A Literary Hub

1. 1. Kozhikode hosts many promiment personalities of Kerala's literary and cultural world, leading media houses, several libraries (over 500 libraries) and has also produced many films and theatre professionals over the years.
   2. The first Malayalam novel Kundalatha was written by Appu Nedungadi in Kozhikode in 1887
   3. Many renowned writers like S. K. Pottekkatt, Thikkodiyan and P. Valsala Sanjayan, along with poets, scholars, and publishers have contributed to the diversity and vibrancy of Malayalam literature and culture.

Other Indian cities in the UCCN:

1. Jaipur: Crafts and Folk Arts (2015),
2. Varanasi: Creative City of Music (2015),
3. Chennai: Creative City of Music (2017),
4. Mumbai: Film (2019),
5. Hyderabad: Gastronomy (2019), and
6. Srinagar: Crafts and Folk Art (2021).

 

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