Representation of the Characteristics of Literary Creative Cities Based on UNESCO Criteria

Asadi, Alireza; Arcos-Pumarola, Jordi; Bayat, Naser; Amini, Davood

doi:10.30465/lir.2024.47040.1777

Representation of the Characteristics of Literary Creative Cities Based on UNESCO Criteria

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Alireza Asadi ¹

Jordi Arcos-Pumarola ²

Naser Bayat ³

Davood Amini ⁴

¹ Department of Persian Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Imam Khomeini International University / Qazvin, Iran.

² catCETT-UB Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy, Barcelona, Spain

³ Associate Professor Department of Geography, Faculty of Command and Staff, Amin University of Police Sciences.

⁴ Assistant Professore, Department of Geography, , Faculty of Basic Sciences, Imam Ali Official University.

https://doi.org/10.30465/lir.2024.47040.1777

Abstract

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is one of the most significant international initiatives in the fields of cultural and urban development, with the Creative City of Literature being one of its most prominent categories. The present study aims to identify and analyze the key characteristics and criteria influencing the designation of Creative Cities of Literature based on the experiences of cities that have joined this network. The research adopted a qualitative approach and employed a summative content analysis method. The study population consisted of all 39 cities designated as UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature between 2004 and 2023. Data were collected from the content published on UNESCO’s official website and analyzed through manual coding and qualitative content analysis. The findings revealed that the most important characteristics of Creative Cities of Literature include a distinguished cultural and academic status, a well-developed publishing industry, the presence of active literary institutions and organizations, support for writers and literary creativity, creative writing education, hosting literary events, promotion of reading culture, support for literary translation, international cooperation, the use of literature as a tool for sustainable urban development, and the integration of literature with other cultural and artistic domains. The findings further indicate that membership in the UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature Network requires more than a rich literary heritage; it depends on proactive cultural policies, sustained cultural investment, the strengthening of literary infrastructures, and the expansion of international collaborations.

Keywords

Representation

The Literature

Creative city of literature

Literary tourism

UNESCO

Subjects