Rabat, Morocco, has been selected as the World Book Capital for 2026, following a recommendation from the World Book Capital Advisory Committee. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay announced, “After Rio de Janeiro in 2025, I am delighted to name Rabat as the World Book Capital for 2026. As a cultural hub, Rabat leverages books to share knowledge and celebrate diverse arts. Its expanding book industry is also crucial in advancing education, aligning with UNESCO’s mission.”
UNESCO and the Advisory Committee, which IAF forms part of, highlighted Rabat’s dedication to literary progress, its empowering of women and youth through reading, and efforts to address illiteracy, particularly within underserved communities.
As World Book Capital, Rabat will launch several initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable economic and social growth by improving access to books and strengthening the local publishing industry. A major literacy campaign for all citizens will be a key focus. The celebrations will begin on April 23, 2026, coinciding with World Book and Copyright Day.
About the world book capitals
Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to promote books and reading for all ages and groups, within and across national borders, and to organize a programme of activities for the year.
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 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).