Miri aims for UNESCO Creative City recognition by 2027
- BT
- 7 minutes ago
- 2 min read
KUCHING, 9 September 2026: Miri is aspiring to be a UNESCO Creative City of Literature in the next year, with the Sarawak Literature Festival 2026 serving as a key platform in bolstering efforts toward the recognition, as announced by the Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah in a press conference yesterday.
“Miri’s aspiration to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of literature is a major undertaking that goes beyond the internationally-recognised title, but makes way for the strengthening of the city’s sustainable literary ecosystem and the creation of an enduring legacy that benefits the people, state and Malaysia as a whole,” said the minister. “I hope that this recognition can be achieved within a year, as assured by the Sarawak State Library, as it now up to compiling the necessary documentation and coordinating efforts with the relevant parties in Kuala Lumpur.”
According to Dato Sri Abdul Karim, the Sarawak Literature Festival 2026 is an integral part of Miri’s journey towards the UNESCO recognition, noting that Miri’s strength as a multicultural city rich in diverse communities, languages, traditions and stories, serve as a crucial foundation for realising this aspiration.
“Sarawak’s wealth of stories and heritage holds immense potential for development beyond the publication of books, as they can be turned into films, animations, theatre shows, digital content, tourism experiences and even creative products,” he added, emphasising that efforts towards securing the recognition should be a collective undertaking and not merely a governmental project.
The Sarawak Literature Festival 2026 will be happening this September 23 to 27, 2026 at the Miri Indoor Stadium, bringing together writers, publishers, educators, libraries, students, cultural practitioners, creative industry players and the wider community in celebration of Sarawak’s stories.
The festival is set to bring together 3 signature events, including the Book Fair Festival, Book Authors Festival and Festival Sarawakiana under one exciting platform. As the first festival of its kind in Sarawak, the festival celebrates the state’s rich literary heritage while inspiring a lifelong love for reading, writing, storytelling and creative expression. Selected programmes will be held at the Sarawak State Library in Miri and the Miri Handicraft Centre in addition to the Miri Indoor Stadium, transforming the city into a lively literary and cultural destination.
