Melbourne is close to completing its bid to be appointed a UNESCO City of Literature reported The Age over the weekend, with hopes that an announcement will be made early next year.
Edinburgh was named the first UNESCO city back in 2004 and The Edinburgh City of Literature Trust has helped form the criteria for other Cities of Literature. In recent months the Trust has been actively working with Melbourne as well as Dublin (Ireland), Kolkata (India), Vancouver (Canada) and Iowa City (USA) to help them achieve the UNESCO status.
Melbourne’s bid is based on its past as a centre of literary activity and its exciting literary future which includes the development of the Centre for Books, to be housed at the State Library, and a reassessment of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards.
For more information about the UNESCO City of Literature click here.
