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Gothenburg is a UNESCO City of Literature – an honorary title the city received in 2021. This means that Gothenburg is part of UNESCO’s global network of creative cities, where literature is at the heart of cultural life and urban development. As a City of Literature, Gothenburg boasts both a rich literary heritage and a vibrant contemporary literary scene, encompassing everything from authorship and book and magazine production to book fairs, library services, and literary meeting places.

UNESCO City of Literature
Being a UNESCO City of Literature is a permanent commitment, meaning that the city and region must work strategically with literature to enhance societal sustainability, in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2030. This work takes place on local, regional, and global levels. Gothenburg’s application began as an initiative from many of the city's literary stakeholders. No fewer than 300 organizations, institutes, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and authors were involved in the application process.Background
The initiative to apply for UNESCO City of Literature status was formally launched in January 2019 by the Gothenburg Book Fair, Författarcentrum Väst, Göteborgs Litteraturhus, Swedish PEN, Poesiwerken, and the Political Poetry Festival through a joint proposal to the City Executive Board.
The proposal was updated in February 2019 with support from several other stakeholders, including HDK–Valand at the University of Gothenburg, Folkuniversitetet, Nätverkstan, and the Swedish Writers’ Union. More actors joined the initiative, and on March 17, 2021, the City Executive Board reviewed the application for the third time, ultimately giving the city the green light to proceed.
On November 8, 2021, Gothenburg received a positive response from UNESCO and was officially designated a UNESCO City of Literature. The designation was highlighted during Sweden’s first national literary policy summit in the spring of 2022, organized by the Gothenburg Book Fair with the support of the Cultural Affairs Committee of the Västra Götaland Region and in collaboration with Litteraturstaden Göteborg.
Working as a City of Literature
The Gothenburg Book Fair plays a central role in strengthening Gothenburg’s position as a UNESCO City of Literature. The work of Litteraturstaden Göteborg is organized through the coordinating office, which consists of key partners: the City of Gothenburg, the Västra Götaland Region, and the University of Gothenburg. The collaboration group includes the stakeholders who initiated the application, and it serves as a platform for ongoing discussions about projects and initiatives that can be developed within the framework of the City of Literature.
The Book Fair has a particular commitment to international collaboration and freedom of expression. Each year, we organize the Freedom of Expression Stage – a platform for discussions on democracy, freedom of speech, and the crucial initiatives surrounding the sanctuary movement for these issues.
The Literary Policy Summit
In 2022, Sweden’s first Literary Policy Summit was held with the aim of strengthening Swedish literary policy through dialogue and discussion. Since then, the summit has been organized annually by the Gothenburg Book Fair, the Västra Götaland Region, and the UNESCO City of Literature, among others.
The program is developed in collaboration with Gothenburg UNESCO City of Literature, Nätverkstan, and several industry organizations. The summit brings together politicians, industry professionals, academics, civil servants, and authors to exchange experiences, learn from one another, and collectively advance the literary policy conversation.