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Milan Creative City for Literature
The Lombard capital won the award in 2017, thanks to its acclaimed literary tradition
Milan is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network because of its literary tradition and vocation.
The Creative Cities Network was created by UNESCO in 2004 and is divided into seven areas that correspond to as many cultural sectors: Music, Literature, Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Media Arts, Gastronomy, and Cinema. At the moment Milan, together with Bergamo and Como (for different areas), are the Lombard cities that have received the prestigious recognition, thus becoming part of this network.
Just to make some numbers - and names - that tell of the strong link between literature, publishing and Milan, suffice it to say that the Lombard capital alone accounts for 15 percent of the national book market, hosting more than half of the Italian publishing houses.
Milan has been the birthplace or city of choice of famous writers such as Umberto Eco, Carlo Porta, and Alessandro Manzoni, as well as Nobel laureates Eugenio Montale and Dario Fo.
Expanding even further, the city has been a great source of inspiration and has attracted many internationally renowned writers over time, including Stendhal and Ernest Hemingway.
Milan also hosts major literary events, including Bookcity, which has now become an event of great importance for professionals as well as a strong attraction for citizens and tourists.
