As Slovenia’s third largest city, Celje was honoured for its strong literary heritage, vibrant reading culture, and creative community spirit.
Home to numerous public libraries, festivals, and literary initiatives, Celje integrates literature deeply into daily life. One of its cultural highlights is the Veronika Prize, awarded annually since 1997 at the Old Castle for the best poetry collection, in memory of Countess Veronika Deseniška.
Mayor Matija Kovač hailed the designation as both a recognition of the city’s literary community and a promise to further develop Celje as a hub of creativity and open-mindedness. The title comes as the city prepares to be the guest city of the 41st Slovenian Book Fair later this month.
Joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, which now includes 408 cities worldwide, opens new opportunities for Celje in cultural exchange, sustainable development, and tourism. The network, established in 2004, celebrates cities that use culture and creativity as engines of urban progress in fields such as literature, music, design, gastronomy, and film.
