The Kozhikode Corporation is planning several activities over the next two years to establish its new status as the Unesco ‘City of Literature’. Mayor Beena Philip told reporters here on Monday that programmes would be held in four phases with public cooperation and inclusion.

The first and second phases include branding, finding spaces for literary discussions, and ensuring public participation in literary activities. The third and fourth phases will include infrastructure development to suit the literary ecosystem.

There are plans to convert several places in the heart of the city such as Mananchira, beach, Kuittichira, Tali temple, and Lions Park into literary spaces. A literature museum, reading street, Malabar Literary Circuit, and a revival of the ‘Kolaya’ culture (in which people used to discuss books on verandahs), besides independent reading corners are in the pipeline.

Membership programmes for reading enthusiasts, diasporic children’s parliament, literary competitions, writing workshops, book fests accessible to common people, visits to home libraries, and travelling book exhibitions are being planned to promote reading habit.

As part of efforts to protect the cultural assets that have served as catalysts for the literary heritage of the city, cultural traditions will be revived. Regional traditions will be documented. A union of literary and environmental organisations is also planned.

Kozhikode will cooperate with other creative cities across the world to organise cultural and literary exchange programmes, literature festivals, and writer-in-residence programmes, besides participating in international book festivals.

“This is not the sole responsibility of the Corporation. The whole city needs to be part of the activities,” said the Mayor, while acknowledging the role of the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA) and the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C) in achieving the ‘City of Literature’ status.

Mohammed Firoz, head of the department of Architecture and Planning at NIT-C, said the complete research and documentation of the bid for Creative City status for Kozhikode, was done by a bunch of students from the institution.

The Corporation has earmarked ₹1 crore for follow-up activities. The formal declaration of the status will be made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in January. Writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair will receive the Diamond Jubilee Award of the Corporation and release the ‘City of Literature’ logo in the coming days.