Okayama City
About the Creative City:
Okayama City, situated along the Seto Inland Sea with its serene waters, picturesque islands, and contemporary art, is embraced by the natural beauty of rice fields, wheat, peach, and grape orchards, creating an inspiring landscape that has captivated poets and writers since the 8th century.
The city prides itself on its literary heritage, particularly in children鈥檚 literature, deeply rooted in history. Leveraging these resources, Okayama City strives to activate the region through innovative public-private partnerships spanning various generations, aiming to inspire and benefit other UCCN member cities. It recognizes literature as a crucial tool for addressing global challenges such as globalization, evolving values, and an aging population. By promoting literature, the city seeks to create an attractive and creative society. In its pursuit of globalization, the city aims to facilitate connections between citizens and literary works from diverse countries, promoting a deeper understanding of history and culture. Initiatives targeting young people aim to provide them with new frameworks for thinking in the face of rapid societal changes, including the arrival of artificial intelligence.
Tackling the challenge of diversification, Okayama City creates opportunities for various generations to engage with literature, utilizing libraries and community centres as hubs for sharing diverse values, to foster an understanding and participation from all ages, promoting inclusivity. The city has implemented numerous initiatives, including awards for children鈥檚 stories and traditional Japanese literary creations to foster civic pride and interest in literature. Events such as 鈥淭he Okayama Literature Festival鈥 and 鈥淭he Citizens鈥 Fairy Tale Award鈥 further showcase the city鈥檚 commitment to literary engagement.
Added Value:
As a Creative City of Literature, Okayama City is dedicated:
To strengthen the creation and dissemination of cultural activities, exchanging knowledge and experiences with other Creative Cities;
To foster an inclusive society, ensuring literature is accessible to all individuals; and
To implement initiatives that promote cross-cultural creative activities through global exchange among artists.
