We congratulate Norwich on becoming the sixth UNESCO City of Literature, the second in the UK, and look forward to building a strong partnership, that enhances and promotes literary culture in both our cities. 

Ali Bowden, Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature welcomed the announcement by UNESCO. Edinburgh is absolutely delighted that Norwich have, today, been designated a UNESCO City of Literature. 

Norwich joins Edinburgh, the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, and Iowa City, Melbourne, Dublin and Reykjavik. In total there are now 6 UNESCO designated Cities of Literature in the 31 strong UNESCO Creative City Network.

Edinburgh worked closely with Norwich as they developed their bid, and particularly with Writers’ Centre Norwich Chief Executive Chris Gribble. Chris was part of Greater North: Cities of Literature 2008, a project designed by Edinburgh to showcase Edinburgh and Melbourne Cities of Literature and to forge long-lasting links; it’s brilliant to see where those connections have led to today!

Norwich’s designation as a City of Literature will help people around the world appreciate the city’s fascinating, longstanding literary heritage – it has been a literary city for 900 years, a place of ideas, where the power of words has changed lives. Today it is a city of publishing, for learning, for readers and writers, with Writers’ Centre Norwich and big plans at its heart.

The designation will help the city grow and develop its cultural offering, as it has done in Edinburgh, and Norwich will be a valuable partner in the international Creative City network. We look forward to seeing them blossom.

Read 10 things to know about Norwich City of Literature.
Or read their bid document [PDF].