Welcome to the UNESCO City of Literature!

For some, perhaps, saying that a city changes and develops through culture can sound pretty abstract. But not for the residents of Wrocław! Long preparations for the European Capital of Culture and UNESCO World Book Capital, the intense and unforgettable year of the celebrations itself; new places, such as Pan Tadeusz Museum, a multimedia literary museum located on the Main Square, and Wrocław Literature House, where you can meet poets and writers several times a week. Small bookshops become more active, librarians realize countless projects, and crowds of readers attending public meetings with writers prove that books are important for a huge number of residents. All this is a result of activities implemented systematically for years, but it’s also a potential for decades to come. And that’s exactly why Wrocław decided to apply to UNESCO Creative Cities Network – because it brings together cities which, through various domains of culture, search for new ways to develop and responsibly tackle the challenges of our times. And they want to share their ideas and experiences. There are 246 of them around the world, among them 42 Cities of Literature located on 6 continents: from far away Montevideo and Melbourne, to much closer Prague and Kraków.

We did it – we are a UNESCO City of Literature. It’s a great joy and an invitation to work hard, and we plan many activities. We support local creative industries related to books, develop the community around literary projects and involve different groups of residents in them. We also try to answer the challenges posed by the contemporary times: integrate residents of Wrocław coming from various countries and cultures, provide equal access to education, especially in the area of ecology. One thing is certain – every resident of our city is invited to participate in those activities.

Read more about UNESCO Cities of Literature and projects they develop around the world here: www.citiesoflit.com.