Launched by Odesa — UNESCO City of Literature and made possible thanks to the generous support of Reykjavík — City of Literature, the project Poetry in the Cities of Literature began on February 24, 2024, as part of the reading initiative Not Just Words, initiated by Milan — City of Literature. This new cultural project aims to connect Odesa’s vibrant literary community with its “sister” Cities of Literature around the world.
As a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network since 2019, Odesa has established meaningful connections with other literary cities worldwide. This project takes a further step in that direction, introducing Odesa residents to contemporary poetry from international partners, starting with Reykjavík, Iceland — the city that made this cultural exchange possible.
Reykjavík was granted UNESCO City of Literature status in 2011, becoming the first non-English-speaking city to receive the title. For over a thousand years, literature has been at the heart of Icelandic culture — from medieval sagas to today’s vibrant literary scene.
Beyond promoting literary art, the initiative highlights the important support UNESCO Cities of Literature provide: from invitations to festivals and help with translations to residencies for artists. These connections help Ukrainian authors cross borders, find new audiences, and maintain their creative voice on the global stage. At the core of the Poetry in the Cities of Literature project is mutual cultural enrichment and open exchange, where books, ideas, and traditions travel freely, inspiring and uniting people across the world.