Kerala also announced that June 23 will be celebrated annually as 'City of Literature' Day in Kozhikode.
- In October 2023, UNESCO announced Kozhikode as India's first UNESCO 'City of Literature' and placed it under the literary category of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).
About Kozhikode
- Location: Kozhikode or Calicut is located on the Malabar coast.
- The term "calico," a fine hand-woven cotton cloth, is believed to be derived from Calicut.
- History:
- Ruler: In the medieval Age, it was ruled by the Samoothiris (Zamorins).
- City of Spices: Traded in spices like black pepper and cardamom with Jews, Arabs, Phoenicians, and Chinese for more than 500 years.
- Foreign travellers:
- Ibn Battuta (author of Rihla) visited the city in the 14th Century.
- Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama and Persian ambassador Abdur Razzaq visited the city in the fifteenth century.
- Contemporary significance:
- It has a robust literary foundation with over 500 libraries and more than 70 publishers.
- It also boasts a high level of literary education.
- In 2012 it was given the tag of “City of Sculptures” (Shilpa Nagaram) because of the various architectural sculptures located in various parts of the city.
About UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)
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