Kozhikode was named India’s first “City of Literature” by UNESCO on June 23. This means that the cultural history of the place should be cherished and used to improve writing skills.

The Mayor of Kozhikode and the Kerala Institute of Local Administration worked hard to get this title for the city. They did a lot of study and put together a well-organized presentation that showed how important Kozhikode was to many areas of culture. In comparison, Kolkata’s literary practices looked weak.

Factors That Contributed

Many important people in Indian culture have lived in Kozhikode, including two Jnanpith laureates. The city’s movie theaters, music venues, and media outlets have also been very important in building up its literary and artistic scene. On June 23, Mayor M. Beena Philip made “City of Literature Day” a real thing.

Every year, six different awards will be given out to help and recognize the best writing in the city. It is also known as the “City of Literature Center” and the Anakkulam Cultural Center. A lot of important people and artists from the city were at the announcement event. The city’s famous writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair was given the Kozhikode Corporation’s diamond jubilee award, which showed how much the city cares about its literary stars.