Kozhikode has held many names in its long history—from the ‘City of Spices’, in recognition of its role as a major trade hub in medieval times, to the ‘City of Truth’, a nod to the transparency and openness of its people. Most recently, Kozhikode was awarded the title of ‘City of Literature’. However, unlike its previous names, this one is officially recognised.
On October 31, 2023, UNESCO announced the addition of 55 cities to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) as part of the World Cities Day celebrations. These cities were recognised for their approach to integrating culture and creativity into their development strategies. Among them were Kozhikode and Gwalior from India, recognised for their contributions to Literature and Music, respectively.
Kozhikode Public Library & Research Centre. (Picture credits: Joseph Rahul)
The newly inducted cities were invited to participate in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference, held in July in Braga, Portugal. Kozhikode was represented by Dr Beena Philip, the city’s mayor who played a significant role in the process of getting the status. Prior to this international engagement, Kozhikode formally announced its inclusion in the UCCN on June 23, 2024, at an event attended by the P.A. Mohamed Riyas, minister for Tourism, and M.B. Rajesh, the minister for Local Self-Government. The date was designated as the ‘City of Literature Day’.
Also read | Tracing Kozhikode’s Literary Heritage
Kozhikode became the first City of Literature in India even before cities with established literary traditions like Kottayam in Kerala and Kolkata in West Bengal. This prompts the question: why was Kozhikode selected? While the city’s centuries-old literary heritage and cultural attributes offer an answer, it is not the complete story. This achievement was the result of nearly two years of coordinated efforts by academicians and students, under the leadership of the mayor.
Defining the Scope
The Creative Cities Network was launched in 2004 to strengthen cooperation between cities around the world in the fields of crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts and music. Apart from the branding opportunities that can catalyse initiatives at home, the 350 cities part of the network are invited to share knowledge and participate in various activities and programmes at the international level. On a broader scale, UNESCO has aligned the network’s objectives to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, integrating culture as a cornerstone for sustainable growth.
At present, 53 cities hold the status of City of Literature, a list that includes Rio de Janeiro, Nottingham, Jakarta, Seattle, Milan, Lahore, Wonju, Baghdad, Manchester, Tartu, Melbourne, Beirut, Dublin, Nanjing, Edinburgh, Krakow and Lyon. An important criterion was its forward-looking vision for its creative resources—an encouragement of its potential as much as a recognition of its past achievements. For instance, Tartu, Estonia’s second-largest city, with a population of 1,20,000—of whom 20,000 are students—envisions promoting a culture of reading among young people and safeguarding freedom of expression and literary diversity. Their goals include supporting authors through scholarships, increasing artist-in-residence programmes, featuring poets’ works on city bus windows, among others.
People reading inside the Kozhikode Public Library & Research Centre. (Picture credits: Joseph Rahul)
In the case of Kozhikode, it began with a proposal from the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) suggesting that at least six cities in Kerala were eligible for inclusion in the network, under different fields. In October 2021, Dr Kaliyath, Urban Chair Professor at KILA, discussed the possibility with Dr Beena Philip and floated the idea of Kozhikode submitting in the Literature category. Known affectionately as ‘Beena Teacher’, she was formerly an educator, before starting her political career and becoming the 27th mayor of Kozhikode in December 2020.
When asked about her initial thoughts, Dr Philip recalls an immediate sense of conviction. ‘I have a strong faith in the culture of my city and its people,’ she explains. ‘I was not born in Kozhikode. I came here at the age of 15 to continue my higher education. Since then, I have been a “Kozhikodan” . . . When Dr Ajith from KILA told me about the UNESCO status, I actually thought of numerous reasons the city merited that position. My husband is a bibliophile and has a library with books on almost all the subjects under the sky—we used to also discuss the books we read. So, this made me think deeply about Kozhikode and connect elements that are present now with those that once existed.’ Thus, the first domino was tipped in favour of Kozhikode’s emerging narrative as a hub of literature.
Dr Kaliyath also spoke with his peer Dr Mohammed Firoz, head of the Department of Architecture and Planning at the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NIT-C), to propose that he undertake a study on Kozhikode. Dr Firoz was not too keen. Coming from an urban planning background and rarely engaging with literature beyond technical subjects, he questioned how he might approach a study focused on the city’s cultural heritage. ‘The only book I’ve read in my life is Around the World in Eighty Days, and even that was because the librarian insisted,’ he admits.
Plotting the Narrative
The initial groundwork for the project was informed by The Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), facilitated through an acquaintance of Dr Kaliyath. Ludmila Kolouchova, a master’s student of Spatial Planning at CZU, undertook an internship with the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation during the first half of 2022. During her stay in Kozhikode, she conducted a comparative study of the literary resources of Kozhikode and Prague.
Irene Antony, a fellow in the Social Development Goals (SDG) Fellowship Programme, worked at the Corporation office between May and July 2022. This programme, a joint initiative by KILA and CEPT University, was created to provide short-term academic and research support to the mayors of six major cities in Kerala, including Kozhikode. Antony’s research collected and analysed relevant data that could be harnessed for social and economic development.
Dr Firoz joined the effort after attending a presentation at the mayor’s office earlier that year. He developed an academic framework that enabled his students to participate in the initiative as part of their studio project, which accounted for nearly 50 per cent of their semester credits. His team worked on four themes—Literature, Food Heritage, Culture and Health—through the lens of urban planning. The Literature team included Athira Ashokan, Lavanya KP, Bharath Reddy and Promiti Mallik. The students worked from June to December 2022 under the guidance of Dr Firoz, assistant professor Dr Shyni Anilkumar and research scholar Susan Cyriac.
The students began with desk research and a literature review, followed by interviews and fieldwork to address gaps in documentation. They spatially mapped the city’s literary infrastructure, geo-tagging institutions and sites of interest. While the spatial map was initially created from an urban planning perspective, it revealed a significant insight for the UNESCO bid: Kozhikode has the highest library density in the country, distributed evenly across the city. Towards the end of 2022, Nimil Hussain, a recent postgraduate from NIT-C who joined as a coordinator at the Corporation office, played a significant role in analysing the data collected and preparing the submission for UNESCO.
A steering committee was formed, comprising literary enthusiasts such as Dr Nagesh S, a retired professor and prominent academic, along with government officials, institutional heads and political figures. Institutions such as IIM, NIT-C, the Sangeet Natak Akademi and the Sahitya Akademi officially endorsed the proposal, further strengthening the application.
Penning the Proposal
The proposal contained noteworthy data—Kozhikode is home to 545 libraries and 70 publishing houses. The libraries encompass various categories, including reading rooms, home libraries, municipal libraries, district-level and state-level institutions. Prominent examples such as the Sanmarga Darshini Library, S.K. Pottekkatt Library, State Public Library and Research Centre, and Deshaposhini Public Library were highlighted. However, beyond these figures, the central theme that emerged was that literature and reading were part of everyday lives in the city.
S.K. Pottekkatt Cultural Centre. (Picture credits: Joseph Rahul)
This cultural fabric is revealed in citizen-led initiatives like SecondPen, an imprint publishing short stories written by doctors and medical professionals. Local groups organise events and exhibitions open to all. The presence of a Gender Library at the Gender Park Campus in Kozhikode and the Abussabah Library with its collection of books in Braille were examples that the city could build on to achieve their goal of inclusivity. This engagement is in context with an overall involvement with art traditions such as music, theatre and performing arts in the city.
The presentation traced the region’s literary heritage over nearly ten centuries. This legacy spans from the Revathi Pattathanam, a scholarly festival initiated in the fifteenth century, to the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF), one of Asia’s largest literature festivals, held on the beaches of Kozhikode since 2016. The proposal highlighted a comprehensive list of distinguished figures, ranging from renowned novelists to art critics and screenwriters. Institutions established post Independence, including Akashvani, Mathrubhumi, Kerala Bhasha Institute and Kerala Granthasala Sangham (KGS) were shown to have played a pivotal role in cultural development. The city’s public spaces further reflect its literary heritage through statues and plaques commemorating writers and their contributions.
Turning the Page
The proposal also emphasised the importance of carrying forward Kozhikode’s centuries-long literary legacy. Towards this, a long-term action plan was developed, divided into four phases: Phase 1 (2023–2025), Phase 2 (2025–2027), Phase 3 (2027–2029), and Phase 4 (2029–2031). The first phase focused on foundational activities such as branding, creating a dedicated website and fostering a reading culture through public discussions and displays. Phase 2 includes initiatives to organise monthly walks and establish a mobile library, and Phase 3, the creation of Literary Circuits. The final phase proposed more expansive projects, including a Literature Museum and a Reading Street designed for literary engagement. Each phase was aligned with specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Mayor Beena Philip in her office at the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation. (Picture credits: Joseph Rahul)
In June 2023, Dr Philip, Hussain and a Corporation member travelled to Delhi with one-way tickets, prepared to stay as long as necessary to complete the application process. After securing approvals from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, the submission was finalised and submitted within five days. Following the city’s receipt of the designation later that year, numerous articles highlighted the achievement, drawing attention to Kozhikode and its future initiatives.
Dr Philip is hopeful and believes in democratising this status and ensuring the title benefits the community: ‘Our role includes connecting the initiatives in different fields with the City of Literature concept. It is the people’s interest and engagement that makes this a City of Literature. Kozhikode will uphold the title.’
Supplemented by interviews with Dr Beena Philip, mayor of Kozhikode, and Dr Mohammed Firoz, head of the Department of Architecture and Planning, National Institute of Technology Calicut (NIT-C).
