The first Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Ali Bowden has been selected to receive the prestigious Edinburgh Award 2025.
The Edinburgh Award was established in 2007 to honour outstanding individuals who have made a positive impact on the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh. Nominations are invited annually from Edinburgh citizens and the recipient is selected by the Civic Awards Committee. Previous recipients include bestselling authors, human rights activists and world-famous sportspeople.
Ali Bowden became Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature in 2006, following a ten-year career in publishing, and was in the role for most of its 20-year history. Edinburgh became the world’s first UNESCO Creative City in 2004 and in the following years Ali helped to welcome new Cities of Literature as they joined, recruiting others from around the world in a bid to diversify the network. There are now 53 literary cities and more than 350 creative cities in seven artforms.
Ali will be presented with an engraved Loving Cup from the Lord Provost and have her handprints set in stone at the City Chambers later this year.
The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, and Chair of the Civic Award Committee, Robert Aldridge said:
Ali Bowden is a most deserved recipient of the Edinburgh Award, and I’m really pleased that she has accepted the Civic Awards Committee decision to present it to her.
Edinburgh blazed a trail when it became the first UNESCO Creative City in 2004 and with Ali at the helm for almost 20 years it has continued to flourish in this position.
Not only has Ali gone above and beyond to create a diverse and engaging range of projects and programmes to enhance the literary city, she has played a key role in connecting Edinburgh with other literary cities around the world.
I’d like to congratulate Ali on behalf of the city - we will all benefit from her legacy, which builds on the Capital’s rich literary heritage while also bringing reading and literature to new and varied audiences.
Ali’s work to promote and enhance Edinburgh as a literary city includes community-based writers’ residencies, the first citywide reading campaign, and the award-winning Great Scott! installation in Waverley railway station honouring Sir Walter Scott. She was also behind the Stars & Stories trail of illuminated quotations celebrating 500 years of Edinburgh’s publishing heritage, and an initiative with ETAG to promote literary tourism.
Ali has played a key role in making introductions, bringing opportunities and showcasing the work of writers, readers, booksellers, publishers, programmers and visitors to the benefit of Edinburgh’s literary scene.
After 18 years as Director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, Ali stood down from the role in September 2024.
Ali Bowden said:
There’s no doubt that Edinburgh has stolen my heart, and I’ve happily spent the last few decades banging the drum for this impressive, bookish, story-filled and ever-changing city. I am humbled, honoured and delighted - in equal measure - to be receiving the Edinburgh Award. I know it’s only possible because of all the kind souls I’ve worked with over the years, on projects big and small, locally and internationally. All of them equally inspired by Edinburgh, this amazing, and first, City of Literature. Thank you all for doing a bit of hard work when I asked!