THE GOVERNMENT has put its weight behind Oxford’s attempt to become the World Book Capital in 2014.
Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has written to the steering committee behind the plans, confirming the Government’s full support for the bid for the Unesco title.
The Wantage MP told the Oxford Mail: “As a local MP I am delighted that Oxford is our official bidder for the World Book Capital, and clearly it is in a very good position to secure the nomination because of its extraordinary literary heritage over many centuries.”
He said that the title would recognise the weight of Oxford’s contribution to English speaking culture throughout history.
Unesco has nominated a World Book Capital city every year since 2001 for the a city with the best year-long programme to promote books and encourage reading.
The application process for the 2014 capital was launched at the end of 2011, and cities from around the world must submit their bids by Friday, April 27, 2012.
No other UK city has announced it is competing for the title, and the winner will be announced in summer 2012.
If successful, Oxford’s World Book Capital year – which would run from April 2014 to April 2015 –would coincide with the opening of the Bodleian’s Weston Library in Broad Street, and the completion of the Story Museum in Pembroke Street, off St Aldate’s.
Last month, bid coordinators told the Oxford Mail that much of the focus of the bid would be on boosting literacy rates among the city’s children.Youngsters in city primary schools have some of the lowest reading and writing rates in the country, and the bid will describe “a tale of two cities” between different parts of Oxford.
Mr Vaizey said he supported the focus. He added: “I met recently with three leading literacy charities, working together to look at how to do even more work in terms of introducing kids to books and getting them excited about reading.”
The city’s bid is being run by a steering committee of 13 city organisations, including both universities, Oxford University Press, Blackwell’s, the Oxford Literacy Festival, Oxfam, and our sister paper The Oxford Times.
Cultural development agency Oxford Inspires is co-ordinating the bid.
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