Starting in April 2018, until April 2019, the city of Athens will be World Book Capital for an entire year; the place where the universal heart of the written word will be beating!

Following the success of World Book and Copyright Day, UNESCO developed the concept of World Book Capital City, selecting Madrid as the Capital for 2001. The successful outcome lead UNESCO’s General Conference to designate World Book Capital as an annual event ever since. The World Book Capital Advisory Committee, which makes its recommendation to the UNESCO Director-General, brings together representatives of UNESCO, the International Publishers Associations (IPA) and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to promote books and reading and to organize activities over the year which starts with the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day (23 April) and runs to 22 April of the following year.

SOURCE: Athens World Book Capital 2018