World Book Capital Cities

"...Literacy is crucial to the acquisition, by every child, youth, and adult, of essential life skills that enable them to address the challenges they can face in life".

United Nations Resolution on Literacy Decade 56/116

The International Publishers Association (IPA) is an international industry federation representing all aspects of book and journal publishing. Established in 1896, IPA's mission is to promote and protect publishing and to raise awareness for publishing as a force for economic, cultural and political development. Around the world IPA actively fights against censorship and promotes copyright, literacy and freedom to publish. IPA is an industry association with a human rights mandate.

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World Book Capital Cities

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Origins & Rationale

Six years after the launching of the World Book and Copyright Day (23 April), IPA had the idea, inspired by the successful experience of the city of Madrid, to nominate the best city programme aimed at promoting books during the period between one "Book Day" and the next.

Following IPA's idea, and a proposal by the Government of Spain, supported by many other countries, the UNESCO General Conference decided, on 2 November 2001, that the Organisation would grant its moral and intellectual support to the conception and implementation of the World Book Capital City initiative, by inviting the international professional organisations of the book chain to work together for its concretisation.

Following a public call for candidatures, the nominating committee (formed of IPA, IFLA, IBF and UNESCO) meets in order to appoint a World Book Capital City.

The nominating committee meets once every year at UNESCO headquarters, in Paris.

The nominating committee examines the cities' application files taking care, as far as possible, to ensure that the cities that are selected are equitably distributed in all the regions in the world. IPA made sure that respect for copyright and freedom of expression are among the nomination criteria (for more, see "Requirements & Obligations".

The nomination does not imply for UNESCO any financial prize, but conquering the title of World Book Capital City represents an important symbolic acknowledgement, also effective, for the winner city, in terms of communication and promotion.

© 2011 INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION