Krakow – UNESCO City of Literature visiting China

From 11 to 16 May 2017 representatives of the programme Krakow-UNESCO City of Literature took part in the conference: ”Literature Diversity and Urban Sustainable Development” in Nanjing, China. The conference brought together leading representatives of Asian culture and offered a perfect opportunity to exchanges between experts and meetings of representatives of China’s creative sectors and culture. The four-day conference offered the opportunity to discuss various themes: talent and creativity as methods to support innovation, economic growth and employment, single digital market, social cohesion and intercultural dialogue, and the ways to enhance cooperation between Europe and China through culture. Four days full of debates, including plenary sessions devoted to the main goals of the Chinese literary agenda in the context of the city’s application to the Cities of Literature Network, as well as smaller session, offering the space for debate, exchange and creating new cooperation networks.

Krakow now chairs the UNESCO steering committee and coordinates the UNESCO Cities of Literature Network. The City of Nanjing invited Krakow as an expert city to mentor on its application to the UNESCO Network of Creative Cities. The participation of the Krakow UNESCO City of Literature representatives helped to create a network through establishing contacts with prospective partners for further international projects and initiatives and the building of strong, long-term relations with Chinese partners.

The Krakow Festival Office is the operator of the Krakow UNESCO City of Literature programme.