Oxford has launched its bid to become UNESCO World Book Capital for 2014.
The bid was launched in the Convocation House in the Bodleian library. The event was attended by local authors such as Philip Pullman and Colin Dexter, as well as local government officials, publishers and book enthusiasts.
The bid is being co-ordinated by Oxford Inspires, the Cultural Development Agency for Oxfordshire. Oxford Inspires are launching the bid on behalf of a committee representing various parties, such as the University of Oxford, the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford University Press, Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford Brookes, Blackwell’s, Oxford Literary Festival and the Story Museum.
A series of public and private consultations are planned over the next few months to gather support for the bid. The first of these events took place over the weekend in Bonn Square, where local artist Diana Bell showed her two-metre-high Big Book installation.
UNESCO has nominated a World Book Capital City every year since 2001. The prestigious title is awarded in recognition of the best year-long programme proposed by a city to promote books and foster reading. Previous winners have included Madrid, New Delhi, Turin and Montreal.
