The city of São Paulo is a candidate to the World’s Book Capital in 2022, a title granted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Through the World’s Book Capital program, UNESCO recognizes the commitment of cities to encourage reading during the period of one year. With the motto "DiverCity: many stories, one city!", the application is guided by the diversity of: people, cultures, genders, ethnic-racial, sexual, social, political and thought diversity. All that builds São Paulo as it is: an open, inclusive, multicultural city with a fascinating complexity.

To prepare the candidacy for the 2022 World’s Book Capital Certification, the Intersecretarial Working Group was established with representatives from the Municipal Secretaries of Education (SME), Culture (SMC), Economic Development and Labor (SMDET) and the Brazilian Book Chamber (CBL). The group is coordinated by the Secretary of International Relations, Luiz Alvaro Salles Aguiar de Menezes, who has extensive experience in the publishing market.

The capital of São Paulo has developed a series of actions and projects with the objective of making books and reading accessible to all. By running for World’s Book Capital, the city of São Paulo seeks to strengthen the work of formation of readers and the cultural power of new languages. São Paulo's candidacy is supported by the cities of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Tbilisi (Georgia), the Brazilian National Commission for UNESCO, the Brazilian Book Chamber (CBL), the Brazilian Writers Union (UBE) and the World’s Network of Government and Cultural Sector Leaders World’s Cities CultureForum (WCCF).

"Developing and empowering our citizens to ensure the exercise of citizenship through culture, science and education is a priority for the municipality of São Paulo", said Mayor Bruno Covas in a letter sent to UNESCO for the candidacy.

"The city of São Paulo is a fertile territory for literature, arts and cultural manifestations due to the diversity of peoples and nations that are here. Making São Paulo the World’s Book Capital is an action to promote the universalization of access to reading and culture not only in our city, but throughout the country", declared Secretary Luiz Alvaro.

"Strengthening our national and international publishing market is one of the main proposals of the Brazilian Book Chamber. São Paulo has one of the greatest publishing diversity of Latin America and of the world and that is what we want to show", commented the President of the Brazilian Book Chamber, Vitor Tavares.

The year 2022 is symbolic for São Paulo and for Brazil, because besides the Bicentennial of the country's Independence, a historical landmark that took place in the city of São Paulo, the year will also celebrate the centennial of the Week of 22, an event that marked the Brazilian artistic renewal and was hosted in the capital of São Paulo. In 2022 it is also foreseen the realization of the 26th International Book Biennial of São Paulo, the biggest literary fair in Latin America.

São Paulo's candidacy for the title of World’s Book Capital 2022 will be sent to Unesco until August 14th.