(Paris) Strasbourg was designated world book capital for 2024 on Wednesday by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), becoming the first French city to win this label created in 2001.
Updated yesterday at 8:39
In a press release, UNESCO claims to have been “impressed” by Strasbourg’s emphasis on “the book as a means of meeting the challenges of social cohesion and climate change”.
Strasbourg, which was the only French city to compete, “highlights the role of books in sharing environmental concerns and scientific knowledge, while giving priority to young people as agents of change”, she continues.
First French city to obtain this label, “Strasbourg opens the ball and it will also be the occasion (of) highlighting at the national level”, welcomed the ecologist mayor, Jeanne Barseghian, during a conference of press held after the official announcement.
“The challenge of this candidacy was to show that Strasbourg’s very strong link to reading is not only its very rich heritage. The book is alive in Strasbourg, it has its audience, it is a city that reads and loves books, with a formidable ecosystem of writers, illustrators and publishing houses,” she added.
“What pride for Strasbourg”, had previously reacted the elected official in a press release. “” World Book Capital 2024 “will irrigate all neighborhoods and will address all generations,” she said.
During its declaration of candidacy, in April, the municipality had argued “the vitality of the book industry” in the agglomeration, with 40 publishing houses and “many cultural events”, recalling that it is in Strasbourg that Gutenberg developed the typographic system that was to give birth to the printing press.
In “uncertain times, many turn to books to find refuge and a source of dreams,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO, quoted in the organization’s press release. “Books have this unique dual ability to entertain and educate us. This is why we must ensure access for all to knowledge and reflection through books and reading”.
The year of celebrations will begin on April 23, 2024, World Book and Copyright Day.
Strasbourg is the 24e city to be designated world book capital since 2001. It notably succeeds Madrid (2001), New Delhi (2003), Bogotá (2007), Port Harcourt (2014) and more recently Guadalajara (2022) and Accra (2023).
The overall budget that Strasbourg will devote to the program will reach 4.5 million euros, said Jeanne Barseghian.
For this 2024 edition, nine other cities were candidates: Amman, Havana, Iasi (Romania), Obidos (Portugal), Plovdiv (Bulgaria), Riyadh, Salamanca (Spain), Tashkent and Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria).