The Colombian city of Medellin has been designated the 2027 UNESCO World Book Capital City, succeeding Rio de Janeiro (2025) and Rabat (2026).
IPA is pleased that the Director General of UNESCO, Khaled El-Enany, chose Medellin, Colombia, to become the 2027 World Book Capital in its effort to promote positive social change with books and culture.
UNESCO states that in Medellin, the number of bookstores increased by 542 per cent in the last 70 years, and the national reading index in the country is on the rise. There are more than 110 bookstores and 25 libraries in the city, many of which have been converted from former prisons and police facilities. In this regard, books can be used as a tool for fostering peace and reconciliation in the country.
Khaled El-Enany explained, “Books speak louder than words; books are a source of creativity and knowledge. Medellin has been known as a global centre of urban and cultural transformation, where books and libraries are playing an important role in the development of positive social change. The World Book Capital 2027 in Medellin is a strong message of how culture can create peace and social connectivity.”
The year of celebrations will start on 23 April 2027, World Book and Copyright Day.
About the World Book Capital Cities
Cities that are named as UNESCO World Book Capitals commit themselves to promoting books and reading and to holding activities throughout the year. Being the twentieth city to be named so since 2001, Kuala Lumpur is preceded by Sharjah (2019) and Athens (2018). Past winners include Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Anvers (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam (2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Erevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016), Conakry (2017), Athens (2018), Sharjah (2019), Kuala Lumpur (2020), Tbilisi (2021), Guadalajara (2022), Accra (2023), Strasbourg (2024), Rio de Janeiro (2025) and Rabat (2026).
The World Book Capital Cities Advisory Committee is made up of the representatives of the International Publishers Association (IPA), the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), and UNESCO.
