Melbourne announced as City of Literature by United Nations

Patrick Horan

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has also added Melbourne to its Creative Cities Network.

Melbourne joins Edinburgh as a City of Literature and now sits alongside other cities in the network including Berlin, Buenos Aires and Montreal as Cities of Design and Bologna and Seville as Cities of Music.

Arts Minister Lynne Kosky said the award recognised and celebrated Melbourne’s rich literary culture, history and creative talent.

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Booker Prize-winning Victorian writer Peter Carey lent his support to Melbourne’s bid and the city’s literary credentials.

“I can think of no other Australian city where the pleasures of reading and discussion are so passionately pursued,” Mr Carey said.

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