Top authors give support to Edinburgh's bid to be first 'City of Literature'

Four of Edinburgh’s most celebrated writers, J K Rowling, Dame Muriel Spark, Ian Rankin, and Alexander McCall Smith, have given their support to Edinburgh’s ‘City of Literature’ project, in the run-up to the bid being presented to UNESCO this Autumn.  All four authors appeared this month at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which also supports the bid.

The project proposes that Edinburgh become the first, or inaugural, permanent ‘City of Literature’, acting as a model for other cities around the world to celebrate their own literature and the life around books.  The title would be bestowed by UNESCO under its Global Alliance Programme.  A formal proposal will be presented to UNESCO on 13th October this year, with creditation possibly following as early as April 2005.  Edinburgh would then seek partners in developing a worldwide chain of cities of literature.

J K Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, said:  ‘It’s impossible to live in Edinburgh without sensing its literary heritage everywhere.  It seems eminently sensible to me to recognise this, along with the contemporary literary life here, with a permanent title that can inspire and inform other places around the world’.

Dame Muriel Spark, author of Edinburgh's most famous novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, said: 'The Edinbugh of my youth was always, by tradition considered the home of reason, tolerance, enlightenment and literature.  This feeling persists.  Edinburgh is a city of books and learning, open to all knowledge.'

Ian Rankin, author of the Rebus novels set in Edinburgh, and who is also on the committee behind the bid, said:  ‘I feel part of a tradition which is as vibrant now as ever before.  Edinburgh remains a city of the mind, a writer’s city.’

Alexander McCall Smith, author of the Precious Ramotswe novels, said:  ‘I am delighted that the literary associations of this city might be internationally recognised in this way.  Such recognition is, I think, deserved, as outside interest in Scottish literature is at as high a level as it ever has been.’

In the great tradition of pioneering ideas in Scotland's history, the Edinburgh City of Literature bid is an idea wholly generated and developed by the literary and publishing community within Edinburgh and Scotland itself.  The Scottish Arts Council has seed-funded the project, and other key partners include the Scottish Publishers Association, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the City of Edinburgh Council (who last week confirmed their support when a proposal of commitments was given all-party endorsement), the Scottish Executive, Scottish Enterprise, the National Library of Scotland, and other literary establishments, venues and places of learning.  Author Ian Rankin and publisher Canongate are also on the committee, which is chaired by James Boyle, chair of Scotland’s newly-formed cultural commission.

James Boyle said:  ‘Edinburgh’s great heritage of the book and its contemporary literary life define it as a cultural capital for the ages.  The idea of a formal designation came about because of the thought that Edinburgh, and indeed Scotland, should take on responsibility for the future development of a literary culture that has distinguished and enlightened our country’s past.  We want to share the literary culture of our capital city with the world.  Edinburgh is not proposed as the world city of literature but a world city of literature – one of many, we hope.  The idea is not about competition but about aspiration and partnership.’

The First Minister, Jack McConnell, outlined his support for the project in his St Andrews Day Speech of 2003, and is also expected to endorse it within the dossier being presented to UNESCO on the 13th October.

Contact email(s)

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