Slovenia's Celje named UNESCO City of Literature

Celje has been named a City of Literature by UNESCO, joining 408 cities in more than 100 countries that are included in the UN organisation's Creative Cities Network.

It is the second city in Slovenia after Ljubljana to be awarded the title, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

Celje, Slovenia's third largest city, has been recognized as a city nurturing literary heritage, reading culture, and creativity, the Celje municipality said. The city integrates literature into everyday life through its rich network of public library units and literary festivals, and many projects linking books, art, and education.

One such is the Veronika Prize for best poetry collection, which the Celje city municipality has been presenting annually since 1997 at the Old Castle. It is named after 15th-century countess Veronika Deseniška, the second wife of Frederick II, one of the Counts of Celje.

Mayor Matija Kovač welcomed the title as a recognition for everyone in the city who keeps literature alive - from the city's library to publishers, authors and volunteers - as well as a commitment to continue developing Celje as a city of culture, creativity, and open-mindedness.

By joining the Creative Cities Network Celje upgrades on the many successful projects and partnerships it has been developing with cities around the world in culture, education, sustainable development and youth. It will be able to join UNESCO's projects, and tap into opportunities in cultural tourism and promotion of cultural heritage.

Celje has won the title just before featuring as the guest city of the 41st Slovenian Book Fair, to be held in Ljubljana from 24 to 30 November. The Celje Central Library is working on a rich programme in cooperation with the Mohorjeva Družba publisher and other partners.

This year 58 new cities have joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, all of which stand out for their active commitment to culture, creativity, and innovative urban development.

The network was launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities which have recognized culture and creativity as strategic drivers of sustainable urban development. It recognizes achievements in literature, design, film, gastronomy, music, intermedia arts, and crafts, and since recently architecture.

Ljubljana has been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network since 2015, also in the field of literature. With its permanent title, Ljubljana has committed to continue to connect and promote literature, support creators, programmes and spaces, and collaborate with the UNESCO Cities of Literature network.

Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA