TAG: GS 1: ART AND CULTURE
THE CONTEXT: Kozhikode in Kerala has been honored as India’s first UNESCO ‘City of Literature’.
EXPLANATION:
- This significant achievement was formally announced by Kerala’s Minister for Local Self-Government.
- This recognition opens numerous avenues for the city, providing a platform to highlight its rich cultural and literary heritage.
Historical and Cultural Contributions
- Kozhikode has been home to numerous talents across various cultural spheres, contributing significantly to its recognition.
- The city boasts of noted writers, including two Jnanpith award winners, and has made substantial contributions to cinema, music, and media.
- The declaration questions about how Kozhikode surpassed Kolkata, known for its rich literary tradition, to become the first City of Literature in India.
Celebratory Initiatives
- To commemorate this achievement, several initiatives have been launched:
- Logo and Website Launch
- Minister for Tourism, launched the logo and website of ‘Kozhikode – City of Literature’.
- He highlighted that Beypore and the house of writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer are integral parts of the Malabar Literary Circuit planned by the Department of Tourism.
- Annual Celebrations
- It was announced that June 23 would be celebrated annually as ‘City of Literature Day’.
- The celebration will include the ‘City of Literature’ awards in six categories:
- comprehensive contribution,
- women writers,
- young writers,
- children’s literature, and
- translations from Malayalam to other languages and vice versa.
- These awards will be presented during an annual cultural festival.
- Anakkulam Cultural Centre
- Lyricist and musician Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri announced that the Anakkulam Cultural Centre will serve as the ‘City of Literature centre’.
- Special Recognition
- In a special gesture, the Kozhikode Corporation’s diamond jubilee award was presented to the writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair.
‘City of Literature’
- 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.
- In 2004, Edinburgh became the first literary city. It hosts the annual International Book Festival and has its own poet laureate—the Makar.
- To be approved as a City of Literature, cities need to meet a number of criteria set by UNESCO.
- Designated UNESCO Cities of Literature share similar characteristics:
- Quality, quantity, and diversity of publishing in the city
- Quality and quantity of educational programmes focusing on domestic or foreign literature at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels
- Literature, drama, and/or poetry playing an important role in the city
- Hosting literary events and festivals, which promote domestic and foreign literature
- Existence of libraries, bookstores, and public or private cultural centres, which preserve, promote, and disseminate domestic and foreign literature
- Involvement by the publishing sector in translating literary works from diverse national languages and foreign literature
- Active involvement of traditional and new media in promoting literature and strengthening the market for literary products
- Cities submit bids to UNESCO to be designated a City of Literature. The designations are monitored and reviewed every four years by UNESCO.
