Join the Network

Through the World Book Capital programme, UNESCO acknowledges cities’ commitment to promoting books and fostering reading during a 12-month period – between one World Book and Copyright Day and the next (23 April) – and beyond. To become part of the World Book Capital Network, applicant cities must submit an application that clearly demonstrates their commitment to the programme and that also showcases their willingness and capacity to contribute to the objectives of the Network.

Last update:8 March 2024

Become the World Book Capital for 2026

The Call for Applications 2026 is now open to all cities of UNESCO Member States. All applications must be submitted through the Online Application Form.

Please consult the Application Guidelines and submit your applications by the 10th of May 2024.

Versions françaises: Capitale Mondiale du Livre de l'UNESCO Appel à Candidatures 2026 et Formulaire de Candidature 2026.

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Nomination Process

The Advisory Committee - made up of one representative of the International Authors Forum (IAF), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), the International Publishers Association (IPA), the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) and one UNESCO representative - is in charge of assessing and selecting a shortlist of applicants.

The Director-General of UNESCO is responsible for the designation of the cities, following consultations with the members of the Advisory Committee. A special effort is made to involve all regions of the world in turn, in conformity with the principle of geographic balance, and following different quality criteria. The Advisory Committee will only consider an application for a city in a country where another city has been a UNESCO World Book Capital if a period of 10 years or more has elapsed since the previous host city’s designation.

Such recognition does not imply, from UNESCO, any financial prize; but winning the title of World Book Capital City represents an important symbolic acknowledgement for the designated city, in terms of communication and promotion.

How to Apply

Every year, a Call for Applications is published on the official website of UNESCO. Applicant Cities must first consult the Call for Applications and the Application Guidelines, which provide all the relevant information and important deadlines, before applying through the Online Application Form.

Step 1: Watch out for the Call for Applications, usually published by the end of January.
Step 2: Consult the Application Guidelines for filling in the application.
Step 3: Check the available Mentoring Opportunities for additional guidance. Details in full within inside the Application Guidelines.
Step 4: Fill in the Online Application by end of day (Paris-time) on Sunday, April 16.
Step 5: Make sure to gather all the additional documents and send them to the official email, as mentioned in the Call for Applications.
Step 6: Please wait for the results. UNESCO will publish an official announcement by July. In submitting an application to UNESCO World Book Capital, the city undertakes -if successful- to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, indicating the main lines of action for the year of designation. The selected city will only be officially announced at the signing of this memorandum. Applicant cities may request feedback regarding their application after the official announcement.

Please consult the Application Guidelines for more information on the online application form and the new mentoring opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

The WBCN, as one of UNESCO’s international programmes on cities, considers applications from all cities of UNESCO’s Member States and Associate Members.

Applications can only be submitted in either English or French. However, when an application is submitted in French, an official translation in English is highly recommended to facilitate the evaluation process.

A valid application must be accompanied by all the additional documents listed in the Call for Applications. Please note that no other documents, such as supplementary endorsements or letters of support, will be taken into account during the evaluation process.

The announcement of the designation will be published on the WBCN website and through other UNESCO communication channels and networks on July 1. A communication will be sent to each of the eligible cities (whose applications were evaluated) to inform them of the result in the days following the designation announcement.

At the time of the Call for Applications, cities wishing to benefit from advice or mentoring from current Network cities can make this request directly to the UNESCO Secretariat, who will endeavour to arrange this.

If a city wishes to receive advice in the same year they plan to submit, it is strongly recommended significant work be put into the application beforehand (given the relatively short timeframe between the Call for Applications and Submission Deadline). In such a case, the candidate must contact UNESCO as early as possible to ensure enough time is given to this process.

Please note that participation in a mentoring process in no way presupposes, or can ever guarantee, a successful application.

Please consult the Application Guidelines for more information on the online application form and the new mentoring opportunities.