UNESCO names Medellín World Book Capital 2027

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named Medellín, Colombia, World Book Capital 2027. The distinction recognizes the role of books and libraries in urban, cultural and social transformation.

The announcement, made in recent days, emphasizes that reading contributes to peace, social cohesion and inclusion.

“Books do not just tell stories. They are a source of creativity and learning. This designation is a powerful message about how culture can build peace and social cohesion,” said Khaled El-Enany, director general of the international organization.

Reference for cultural innovation

With more than 110 bookstores and 25 libraries, many installed in former prisons and police facilities, Medellín established itself as an international benchmark for cultural innovation. The number of bookstores has grown 542 percent in the last seven decades, placing it at the top of the national reading index.

The metropolis, which suffered long periods of conflict, turned reading into an instrument of resistance and reconciliation.

The Advisory Committee of the World Book Capital recognized Medellín’s commitment to cultural mobilization and its ability to host initiatives that promote dialogue, education, cultural diversity and the participation of young people and vulnerable communities.

Medellín will be the 27th city to receive this title since 2001, after places such as Madrid, New Delhi, Buenos Aires and Guadalajara. Over the next year it will organize reading, writing and storytelling activities starting on April 23, World Book and Copyright Day.

The full list of World Book Capitals includes cities on all continents, from Alexandria (2002) and Antwerp (2004) to Strasbourg (2024) and Rabat (2026), demonstrating the global relevance of this initiative. Colombia becomes the only country with two award-winning cities, after Bogotá in 2007.