Aberystwyth named Unesco City of Literature

The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth is home to items such as the White Book of Rhydderch, the earliest compendium of Welsh prose texts

Aberystwyth has been named Wales' first City of Literature by the United Nation's organisation, Unesco.

The town will join over 50 cities worldwide including Barcelona, Dublin and Seattle that have been recognised for their contribution to literature.

While Aberystwyth is not a city, the town and its wider county of Ceredigion have been chosen due to its "rich literary scene, universities and national literary institutions" as well as its "thriving bilingual cultural scene".

First Minister Eluned Morgan described the announcement as "testament to the vibrancy of the literary scene, in both Welsh and English, throughout the county".

The City of Literature designation also makes Aberystwyth the first Unesco Creative City in Wales.

To be approved as a City of Literature, a place must meet a number of criteria set by Unesco including the quality, quantity and diversity of publishing in the city, the literary events and festivals it hosts and the existence of libraries, bookstores and cultural centres.

According to Books Council of Wales, Aberystwyth can claim a connection to over 300 poets and is the first Welsh town to employ a town poet.

Ceredigion is also home to the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth Univeristy and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

The new City of Literature was created after an application by the Dinas Llên strategic partnership, formed with Welsh government funding through Ceredigion council as well as partners including Aberystwyth University, Books Council of Wales and the National Library of Wales.

Professor Mererid Hopwood of Aberystwyth University, and member of the Dinas Llên partnership, said it was an opportunity to reinforce the vibrant literary heritage and share it with the world.

Aberystwyth's mayor Emlyn Jones said the town joins a global network of cities that "have creativity rooted in their local communities to create a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable future".

"Literature and creativity help make Aberystwyth Ceredigion an amazing place to live, work, study and visit and we believe that being Wales' first City of Literature will be a catalyst for further growth in the creative industries, benefit local businesses and help more people to discover us and our many stories," he said.