In a press release, UNESCO and the World Book Capital Advisory Committee commended Rio de Janeiro’s demonstration for the importance of its literary heritage, “backed by a clearly defined vision and an action plan to promote literature, sustainable publishing, and reading among young people.”

The text also highlighted the use of digital technologies, and described the designation as a historic milestone. This is the first time a Portuguese-speaking city has been designated World Book Capital, which dates back to 1996, although it was first awarded five years later.

Before Rio de Janeiro, the only Latin American cities that received the World Book Capital title were Bogota (2007), Buenos Aires (2011), and Guadalajara (2022).

UNESCO designates a World Book Capital every year,” Director-General Audrey Azoulay said.

Azoulay expressed satisfaction with the announcement, which follows the designation of Accra (Ghana) in 2023 and Strasbourg (France) in 2024.

UNESCO decided World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on April 23, 2025.

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