Vancouver World City of Literature - The Association of Book ...

Introduction
Vancouver has grown from a quiet clearing in a rainforest to become one of the world’s
most beautiful and vibrant cities. Its stunning natural environment of mountains, coast, and
sea inspires local and visiting artists and writers and draws tourists from around the world.
A young city in a new-world country with a storytelling tradition going back thousands of
years, Vancouver is a cultural meeting point and a hotbed of ideas and creativity.
It is home to a dynamic community of writers—including aboriginal writers, those writing
from a Euro-Canadian tradition, and immigrant-authors who have come from around the
world—and celebrates its love for literature by hosting events that present both local and
international writers to an enthusiastic public. The overall arts scene is bustling: more than
three million people per year attend the city’s live performances, screenings, exhibitions,
and festivals.
Both a gateway to the literary and cultural communities of British Columbia and
Canada and a focal point for exchange between cultures and communities around the
world, Vancouver wants to reach out and contribute to the global literary
community by becoming a UNESCO City of Literature.
This document outlines the case for such a designation. It is divided into four chapters:
Chapter One provides a quick understanding of Vancouver’s geography, history, and
character; Chapter Two sketches out the cultural life of the city; Chapter Three details
Vancouver’s rich literary tradition and current goings-on; and Chapter Four explains
how Vancouver would honour, leverage, and administer the distinction of City of Literature
(WCL).
A WCL designation could have important and far-reaching implications for Vancouver,
including:
• further stimulating the city’s literary community, and celebrating its achievements
• strengthening the economic benefits of literary activities taking place in Vancouver
• raising the international profile of Vancouver’s literary culture, and supporting
exchange and collaboration within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network
and with other international partners
In short, the City of Literature designation will be a catalyst for expanding the public space
for literature and literary culture in Vancouver, and to further connect Vancouver’s literary
community to others across the world. This is an incredible opportunity, and Vancouver is
ready for it.
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