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Edinburgh World
Heritage and Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust have joined forces to
create a series of new, free podcasts celebrating the literary and built
heritage of the Scotland's Capital City.
Ten fun and informative podcasts have
been created exploring some of Edinburgh's most famous landmarks, their
architectural history and curiosities and their literary links - from Calton
Hill to Princes Street Gardens, The Netherbow to The Canongate, from Robert
Louis Stevenson to Daniel Defoe, Ian Rankin to Quintin Jardine. Using
quotes from writers, poets and some of the classic stories inspired by the
built environment of the city, the podcasts are designed to reveal some of the
hidden gems and history of the city for visitors at home planning their
trip. They can also be downloaded and used as an audio guide whilst
walking around the city.
The
Podcasts can be found on the VisitScotland.com website (http://www.visitscotland.com/guide/scotland-factfile/arts-culture/literature/edinburgh-stories/)
and are linked from both the EWH (www.ewht.co.uk) and EUCLT
(www.cityofliterature.com) sites.
Ali Bowden, Manager of the City of Literature
Trust said: ‘Edinburgh is a stunning city, visually striking and rich in its
literary heritage. There are lots of links between its buildings and authors,
the most obvious being the contrast between Edinburgh's Old Town and New Town,
linked to Stevenson's Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde character. We hope
these new downloads prove popular to locals and visitors alike.'
Adam
Wilkinson, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage said: ‘Edinburgh is unique in
having two UNESCO designations, recognising its world-class architectural
heritage, and its reputation as a city built on books, the capital of a nation
renowned throughout the world for its architecture and history as well as its
writers, past and present. These podcasts are designed to show the fascinating
links between these aspects of our city's extraordinary heritage, and encourage
visitors to get off the well-worn tourist routes and explore the many nooks and
crannies of the city.'
The project is supported by the Scottish
Arts Council. Dr Gavin Wallace, Head of Literature at the Scottish Arts
Council, said: ‘From its railway station and football team named after novels
by Sir Walter Scott, to the writers celebrated in the stones of Makar Court, to
the iconic J. K. Rowling café, few cities boast the riches of their literary
life, past and present, with such thrilling palpability as Edinburgh.
These ten delightful podcasts will offer visitors near and far a gateway
to Edinburgh's literary worlds.
For further information please contact: David Hicks, Communications Manager, Edinburgh World
Heritage Tel. 0131 220 7723 Frances Sutton, PR Consultant
Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust Tel. 0131 220
7723 [email protected]
Edinburgh World
Heritage
Edinburgh World Heritage is the
official champion of the city's World Heritage Site. EWH is sponsored by the
City of Edinburgh Council and Historic Scotland, and works to protect, enhance
and promote the World Heritage Site. www.ewht.org.uk
The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh are one of the most
beautiful cityscapes in the world, inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site
in 1995. The unique character of the city comes from the striking contrast
between the medieval Old Town and the classical New Town, with each area
containing many significant historic buildings. The medieval Old Town has
retained much of its distinctive pattern of narrow passageways, known as closes
and wynds, while the core of the New Town is still laid out according to the
plan drawn up in 1767 by architect James Craig.
Edinburgh
UNESCO City of Literature
DESIGNATION - In October 2004, Edinburgh became the very first UNESCO City of Literature,
pioneer in a new international network of cities under UNESCO's Global Alliance
programme which is designed as a social and economic development tool. The
designation means that Edinburgh has great development potential in a
specific sector - literature - and that UNESCO supports the city's efforts in
building its creative industry. The designation serves as a platform to
harness the will, potential and capacity of a city's public, private and civil
society stakeholders under a common development umbrella in the literary
sector. The designation is reviewed every two years with an evaluation
process and means that each city has to show a willingness to continue
developing its creative industry.
BACKGROUND -
The designation was the culmination of two years' work by a dedicated group of
people working within the literature sector in Scotland, who had conceived and
developed the idea and presented it to UNESCO for validation. This group
had the support of the Scottish Executive, Scottish Arts Council and City of
Edinburgh Council, and was seed-funded by the Scottish Arts Council. The First
Minister Jack McConnell has given his endorsement to the project, as have four
of Edinburgh's best-known authors: Dame Muriel Spark, J K Rowling, Ian Rankin
and Alexander McCall Smith.
The title acknowledges Edinburgh's
unique reputation as a city built on books, and as the capital of a nation
renowned throughout the world for its writers, past and present. The city
is home to the world's biggest international literary book festival, numerous
libraries and prestigious collections, and booksellers, both new and antiquarian.
Leading publishers and publications originated in the city, and a thriving
publishing industry continues today. It is a noted centre of education,
and has shared its expertise in learning all over the world. Edinburgh
has been the inspiration for many classic works of literature, and world-famous
writers live and work in the city.
TRUST'S AIMS - Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust (EUCLT) was established in July
2004 with the following aims:
To provide a focus and co-ordination
for literary activity, to encourage greater participation and to attract new
initiatives.
To create an international model for
a world-wide network of Cities of Literature and to develop partnerships with
other cities with strong literary profiles and aspirations.
To promote recognition and prestige
for Scotland's literary life nationally and internationally through Edinburgh's
designation as UNESCO's first City of Literature.
Join
Wallace and Gromit - discover Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World...
The Lost
World Read 2009 - February's citywide
reading campaign - www.cityofliterature.com
The
Lost World...it's a cracking read, Gromit
Frances
Sutton
Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust
9/2 Tweeddale Court
14 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TE
Tel. (0) 131 557 9821
In
2004 Edinburgh became the world's first UNESCO City of Literature,
pioneer in a new international network of cities under UNESCO's Creative Cities
programme. The City of Literature Trust is a charity that works with
partners to promote literary activity in Edinburgh, champion Scotland's literature
and develop literary partnerships around the world.
Find
out more about Edinburgh's world of words - join our free e-bulletin - www.cityofliterature.com
Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature is the operating name of Edinburgh
World City of Literature Trust which is a company limited by guarantee (No.
270581) and registered as a charity (SC035697).
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