Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, has announced the designation of Rabat in Morocco, as World Book Capital for 2026. The decision was based on the recommendation of the World Book Capital Advisory Committee.
UNESCO and the World Book Capital Advisory Committee have recognized Rabat for its commitment to literary development, empowerment of women and youth through reading and the fight against illiteracy, especially among underserved communities. The UNESCO World Book Capital Advisory Committee comprises representatives of European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), the International Authors Forum (IAF), the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), the International Publishers Association (IPA), and UNESCO.
As World Book Capital for 2026, Rabat will roll out a series of initiatives with the aim of fostering sustainable economic growth and social benefits. This is by enhancing access to books and supporting the local publishing industry. In particular, the city will launch a major initiative to reinforce literacy of all its citizens.
The year of celebrations will begin on 23 April, 2026, on World Book and Copyright Day.
Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital are tasked with promoting books and reading for all ages and groups, within and across national borders, and to organize a program of activities for the year.
As the twenty-sixth city to bear the title since 2001, Rabat follows Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam (2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Erevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016), Conakry (2017), Athens (2018), Sharjah, (2019), Kuala Lumpur (2020), Tbilisi (2021), Guadalajara (2022), Accra (2023), Strasbourg (2024) and Rio de Janeiro (2025).
“Following Rio de Janeiro in 2025, I am pleased to announce the designation of Rabat as World Book Capital for 2026. Rabat is a cultural crossroads where books help transmit knowledge and the arts in all their diversity. The growing local book industry is also playing a crucial role in advancing education. These actions resonate with UNESCO’s mandate,” said Audrey Azoulay.
With 54 publishing houses, the third largest international book and publishing fair in Africa and a growing number of bookstores, Rabat’s book industry is not only a vital part of the city’s creative economy but also at the forefront of democratizing knowledge.