Hobart named a UNESCO City of Literature

The United Nations’ cultural arm UNESCO has named Hobart a City of Literature.

The Hobart City of Literature Working Group (HCLWG) was formed in January 2023 to present the bid for Hobart to become a City of Literature, with representatives from TasWriters, Libraries Tasmania, the University of Tasmania, Hobart City Council, Brand Tasmania and Fullers Bookshop.

‘Nipaluna/Hobart is a city of stories, positioned on an island of stories,’ HCLWG said in a bid statement, adding that it sought the status ‘to better broadcast its stories to the world.’

The working group’s bid covered the history of the oral storytelling traditions of First Nations people in Tasmania, and the palawa kani language; literature in colonial Hobart, which included the first work of general fiction in Australia, published in 1818; Australia’s first ‘free press’ newspaper in 1824; and one of the nation’s first public libraries in 1849.

‘Today, Hobart and Tasmania are home to a multitude of award-winning and best-selling writers, a number of well-loved independent bookshops, a small but adventurous local publishing industry, a popular state library, and a constantly evolving calendar of literary festivals, awards, events, and celebrations of reading,’ said HCLWG.

‘As a UNESCO City of Literature, Hobart would draw on its history and contemporary literary ecosystem to target low literacy rates. Illiteracy is one of the biggest challenges facing our state. Literature and storytelling have the power to change the conversation from deficit to ambition, from insecurity to pride. UNESCO City of Literature status can help us do this. As a City of Literature, Hobart would work to solve our state’s literacy crisis, giving Tasmanians a new reason to read and pouring effort into events and initiatives that improve literacy and combat the social inequalities caused by illiteracy.’

The City of Hobart first introduced the idea of the City of Literature bid in April 2018. The HCLWG publicly presented its proposal in April this year at two stakeholder events held at Hobart Town Hall. Hobart City Council approved the working group’s request to submit the bid in May.

Libraries Tasmania executive director Sue McKerracher said: ‘Our pitch to UNESCO was that Tasmania is a state of two halves—avid readers, amazing independent bookshops, award-winning writers, boutique publishers on the one hand and some of the lowest literacy rates in the country on the other. The City of Literature designation will help us celebrate our incredible literary achievements and it will give another, much-needed boost to our efforts to lift literacy rates.’

Tasmania Reads Week, running from 17–23 March next year, ‘will be a second outing for the campaign,’ said McKerracher. ‘Our new City of Literature status will help us bring in more community and industry partners, and take the message to more corners of the state. We’re also looking forward to working with TasWriters to set up a writing hub at the State Library of Tasmania.’

Hobart joins Melbourne as a City of Literature, which achieved the status in 2008. Melbourne City of Literature director David Ryding said, ‘We’re always delighted when our network becomes richer with new cities deciding to take up the challenge of being a UNESCO Creative City and we are doubly delighted with Hobart joining.’

Hobart is one of 11 new UNESCO Cities of Literature and among 55 new cities in its Creative Cities Network. Other new cities of literature announced by UNESCO are Bremen in Germany, Buffalo City in the US, Iasi in Romania, Kozhikode in India, Kutaisi in Georgia, Okayama in Japan, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Taif in Saudi Arabia, and Tukums in Latvia. Lyon in France has been granted a status change from a Creative City of Media Arts to a Creative City of Literature.

The City of Hobart and newly designated Creative Cities are invited to participate in the 2024 UNESCO Creative Cities annual conference from 1 to 5 July 2024 in Braga, Portugal, under the theme ‘Bringing youth to the table for the next decade’.

Pictured: Attendees at a HCLWG stakeholder event raise hands to agree to the bid.

Category: Local news