Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay has decided to designate Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) as World Book Capital for 2025, according to the official website of the Organization.

“Books are vital vehicles to access, transmit and promote education, science, culture and information worldwide. Thanks to books, we keep ourselves informed, entertained and are able to better understand our world. This is why, each year UNESCO designates a World Book Capital. After Accra in 2023, and Strasbourg in 2024, I am pleased to announce the designation of Rio de Janeiro as World Book Capital for 2025,” the UNESCO Director-General said.

UNESCO and the World Book Capital Advisory Committee commended Rio de Janeiro’s demonstration of the importance of its literary heritage alongside a clearly defined vision and action plan to promote literature, sustainable publishing and reading among young people tapping into digital technologies. This is the first time that a Portuguese-speaking city has been designated World Book Capital.

In line with priorities expressed in the World Book Capital Charter, Rio de Janeiro conceives its project as having the ability to affect social change – through, for example, literacy, education and poverty eradication – and bring sustainable economic benefit linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The year of celebrations will start on 23 April 2025, on World Book and Copyright Day.

Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to promote books and reading for all ages and groups, within and across national borders, and to organize a programme of activities for the year.