Iowa City will retain UNESCO City of Literature status

IOWA CITY — Iowa City’s designation as a UNESCO City of Literature will not be affected by the Trump administration’s announcement that the U.S. is leaving the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO, effective December 2026.

“Once we have the designation, whether our country is a member of UNESCO or not, doesn't really affect the designation like that. There is a relationship between our city and UNESCO,” said John Kenyon, executive director of Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature. “It's ideal if your country is a member of UNESCO, obviously, but it's not a requirement.”

UNESCO preserves cultural heritage through its UNESCO World Heritage Sites program, which recognizes significant landmarks for protection, ranging from the Taj Mahal to Egypt's pyramids of Giza and the Grand Canyon National Park. The agency also empowers education and science across the globe.

Iowa City was designated a UNESCO City of Literature in 2008, becoming the first city in the United States and the third City of Literature worldwide. Through the designation Iowa City is part of the network of Creative cities through UNESCO and collaborates on a global scale.

The decision to pull U.S. funding and participation from UNESCO comes two years after the Biden administration rejoined following a controversial, five-year absence that began during President Donald Trump’s first term. The White House cited similar concerns as it did in 2018, saying it believes U.S. involvement is not in its national interest and accusing the agency of promoting anti-Israel speech because of its 2011 decision to admit Palestine as a UNESCO Member State.

UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay said the U.S. decision was expected and that the agency “has prepared for it.”

“This decision contradicts the fundamental principles of multilateralism, and may affect first and foremost our many partners in the United States of America — communities seeking site inscription on the World Heritage List, Creative City status, and University Chairs,” Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, said in a news release.

The Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature nonprofit will continue its operations, supporting writers and promoting literary exchange throughout the city.

“We're here in Iowa City, still doing our work, still collaborating with and communicating with the other cities in our network, maintaining Iowa City's place on the map in terms of being a place for literature and for culture. But it is now not a national priority,” Kenyon said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com

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