Korea | Incheon named World Book Capital 2015

The city of Incheon in Korea has been named World Book Capital for the year 2015 by an international committee of experts representing the book industry and UNESCO.

The Selection Committee retained the candidature of the city of Incheon on account of the quality of its programme and the impact it will have on improving the promotion of books and reading by all stakeholders involved in the publishing sector, as well as access to printed and digital publishing for the citizens of Incheon and the Korean Peninsula according to the selection committee.

While welcoming the great number and quality of the applications received by UNESCO for the title of World Book Capital 2015, the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, endorsed the Committee’s decision to designate Incheon World Book Capital for the year 2015.

Each year, UNESCO and the international organizations representing the three major sectors of the book industry—the International Publishers Association (IPA), International Booksellers Federation (IBF) and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)—select the World Book Capital for a one-year period, effective 23 April. This initiative complements the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day, and represents a collaborative undertaking by key stakeholders in the publishing industry and cities to promote books and literacy.

Incheon is the 15th city to be designated World Book Capital following Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam (2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Yerevan (2012), Bangkok (2013) and Port Harcourt (2014).