Barcelona becomes a UNESCO City of Literature

Barcelona (CNA).- The Catalan capital has been designated a UNESCO City of Literature and is now part of this international body's Creative Cities Network. Barcelona's candidacy has focused on the richness of its literary heritage in both the Catalan and Spanish languages, the international power of its editorial sector and especially on the celebration of Saint Jordi, Catalonia's patron day, when Catalans exchange books and roses with their loved ones. In fact, UNESCO's World Book and Copyright Day is celebrated on the 23^rd of April, the same day as the Saint Jordi celebrations, which is regarded as a symbol which unites culture and literature. Thus, Barcelona now joins Edinburgh, Prague, Krakow, Dublin, Montevideo, Ljubljana and other cities which have literature as the centre of their creativity.

From now on, the Catalan capital will have to collaborate with the Creative Cities Network to promote creativity and the cultural industry and integrate culture into the social and economic development plans, amongst other actions. This Friday, Barcelona joined the list of cities which have literature as the centre of their creativity; the first to be designated was Edinburgh, which was followed by other metropoles such as Baghdad, Montevideo, Krakow, Prague, Dublin, Granada, Iowa, Melbourne and Ljubljana, amongst many others. 

Promotion of literature and cultural events

Thus, Barcelona will organise different projects and programmes around literature. One of its main goals will be to promote the work of writers and support the roles played by librarians, editors and translators. Another objective is to reinforce the task of libraries as cultural promoters.

In relation to this, Barcelona and Catalan literature will be the Warsaw Book Fair's guests of honour, besides taking part in the Annual Meeting of the Creative Cities Network in Östersund, Sweden and holding Barcelona's Eurocon, the biennial convention of fantastic literature, which will take place in Barcelona's Centre of Contemporary Culture (CCCB). 

Saint Jordi, one of the candidacy's strongest points

The celebration of Saint Jordi, is one of Catalonia's strongest symbols. Besides celebrating the Patron day of Saint George on the 23^rd of April, citizens take to the streets and exchange books and roses with their loved ones. Saint Jordi is the busiest day for librarians and authors sign their new publications, chat with their most loyal readers and participate in many debates and cultural events throughout the day. On the 23^rd of April, literature and Catalan's cultural heritage unite in a popular and festive celebration, and the UNESCO committee has evaluated this as one of Barcelona's candidacy's strongest assets. In fact, UNESCO's World Book and Copyright Day is also celebrated on the 23^rd of April, after the Saint Jordi celebrations.