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By James Tennant

Following discussions in Sharjah, a draft report was produced to address past issues and set a strategy for the coming years. In Tbilisi, WBC city representatives – alongside those from the programme’s Advisory Committee comprising UNESCO, the International Authors Forum, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, and the International Publishers Association – shared plans for the future, ones which built on the group’s long and diverse experience. In the words of Ian Denison, WBC Co-ordinator at UNESCO, the report “presents a vision for our new Network which, in its basic rationale and founding ethos, lies an idea of continuity, one of a bridge from the past into an arena in which World Book Capital…can successfully reshape itself”.

The inaugural meeting of the World Book Capital Network (WBCN) was opened by Andria Basilaia, Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi, and Pere Vicens as representative of Madrid which, upon designation in 2001, became the first ever World Book Capital. Delegates, ahead of debates around both past and future elements to the programme, were fortunate to be able to listen to Vicens – in many respects the founder of World Book Capital – describe how it was conceived of, what its original aspirations were, and which challenges had been overcome. Congratulations and thanks were offered to Ninia Matcharashvili, who had led Tbilisi’s programme of more than fifty projects over the year past, an extraordinary achievement in the face of countless difficulties brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Activities of World Book Capitals have, generally, taken place within the year – from April 23 (World Book and Copyright Day) – they have held the title. The new Network guidelines will commit cities to collaboration on a year-to-year basis, both individually and collectively. A refined application process now sees future WBCs pledge to host an annual WBCN meeting. Among other new elements to the governance structure, a Network chairperson will be appointed each year to co-ordinate group activities and ensure contact is maintained with past cities and partners. A website ‘hub’ will highlight best practices and case studies. Application procedures are being updated, a greater level of transparency brought to bear on the designation process, and monitoring and reporting frameworks standardised. The Network will seek to offer mentorship to prospective cities, and provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants. A firmer funding base for the Network, and its related activities, is being established.

The WBC programme, in meeting for the first time as a Network, discussed what has made it distinct as well as how best to benefit from related, newer, UNESCO programmes such as the Creative Cities Network (CCN) and the Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC). Future WBCN cities will pledge to work towards the 2030 Agenda, as well as endorsing the 1980 Recommendation concerning the Status of the Artist and the subsequent 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The launch of an annual World Book Capital Award is being considered to recognise individuals or organisations who have made an exemplary contribution to books and literacy. A Charter and Mission Statement was agreed upon, including new focus areas such as linguistic diversity and literary translation.

In the belief that books and reading are cornerstones to more inclusive, peaceful and sustainable societies, the WBC programme’s existing commitment to literacy, lifelong learning, copyright and freedom of expression is being strengthened through its relaunch as an active Network. The group affirmed that, as the United Nations agency with a specific mandate to promote “the free flow of ideas by word and image”, UNESCO – through the WBCN – should continue to strive to uphold free, independent and pluralistic expression in print, broadcast and online. The Network maintains that freedom to publish, the right to literacy and books are – in the words of UNESCO’s Constitution – inalienable “human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

Among the group were representatives from the next two World Book Capital cities: Guadalajara, Mexico (2022) and Accra, Ghana (2023). Guadalajara has been working closely with Tbilisi, notably in a reciprocal writers’ residency which saw the Mexican novelist Juan Pablo Villalobos spend time in Georgia, with local author Archil Kikodze set to travel to Guadalajara. The writer Martín Solares, who will lead Guadalajara’s programme of events, explained that the overarching theme for their year, against a backdrop of local violence, will be “how books contribute to peace”. Hundreds of events will be put on throughout the State of Jalisco, including a series of talks by renowned writers such as Bernardo Atxaga, Sofi Oksanen, Alberto Manguel, Salman Rushdie, Laura Esquivel and Antonio Ortuño. Workshops will be held on translation, reportage and comic books. Rodrigo Medina, from Guadalajara City Council, believes that the new Network of World Book Capital Cities presents “a unique opportunity for cities to learn from each other, but also one to showcase the programme’s past achievements to the world”.

The Ghanaian delegation in Tbilisi was led by Hon. Elizabeth Naa Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey, Mayor of Accra, who is the first woman to hold that post. Her colleague Ernesticia Lartey Asuinura – executive director of the Ghana Book Development Council, who will lead Accra’s WBC programme in 2023 – welcomed the Network’s commitment to ensure cities remain active beyond their title year. She explained that their plans have a focus on capacity-building and professional development for the country’s publishers, sustainable programmes that will bring benefit well beyond 2023. Ghana has around 80 dialects and languages, but publishing is limited to fewer than 15 of them. She welcomed the Network’s espousal of linguistic diversity; Accra being designated a WBC has already accelerated plans for the establishment of a Book Development Fund to support local language publishing. What is more, as Lartey Asuinura highlighted, “storytelling, Ghanaian folklore, is an integral part of our culture, but also something that is being lost in this digital age; we were happy to see in the report the intention to reflect on various traditions of the word, beyond the traditional printed book”.