Kozhikode was proposed by the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) to be branded as a ‘City of Literature’ with the help of UNESCO.
- Kozhikode is among the six places that the KILA plans to develop as ‘Creative Cities’. Thiruvananthapuram is vying for the title ‘City of Peace’, Kollam ‘City of Biodiversity’, Kochi ‘City of Design’, Thrissur ‘City of Learning’, and Kannur ‘City of Craft and Folk Arts’.
- Very few cities in Kerala can perhaps boast the legacy of writers such as Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, Sanjayan, S.K. Pottekkatt, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, N.N. Kakkad, and U.A. Khader.
- Adding to this is the presence of literary publications such as the Mathrubhumi weekly, a vast network of libraries, and annual literary events such as Kerala Literature Festival.
About UNESCO’s City of Literature programme
- UNESCO’s City of Literature programme is part of the wider Creative Cities Network. The Network was launched in 2004, and now has member cities in seven creative fields.
- The other creative fields are: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Media Arts, and Music.
- According to an official website on Prague, a city designated as ‘Creative City of Literature’ must have a sufficient number of institutions taking care of its literary life.
- Till date, no Indian cities have found place in this creative list.
- In 2004, Edinburgh became the first literary city. It hosts the annual International Book Festival and has its own poet laureate—the Makar.
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