The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.
The network which now has 350 members has led to the forming of close ties between cities with the same creative focus, be it design, film, gastronomy, music or… literature! In November 2019 Leeuwarden-Fryslân became one of 50 cities to be awarded the permanent title of UNESCO City of Literature. Edinburgh, Quebec, Reykjavik, Exeter and Bremen are all members of the UNESCO Cities of Literature network. We are frequently in contact with Barcelona, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Ljubjana, which are also designated Cities of Literature.