Following a public vote Ali Bowden is the latest recipient of The Edinburgh Award.
Ms 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.
Her name is to be inscribed onto the Edinburgh Award honour panel in the City Chambers and she was presented with an engraved Loving Cup by the Lord Provost at a ceremony in the City Chamber.
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.
The Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, and Chair of the Edinburgh Award Panel, Robert Aldridge said: “It was a pleasure to present Ali Bowden with the Edinburgh Award in honour of her outstanding dedication to promoting and enhancing this city’s rich literary heritage.
“Ali’s handprints are now immortalised in stone at the City Chambers quadrangle, and she deservedly follows in the footsteps of some of the finest individuals associated with our great city.
“Ali has done much to promote Edinburgh to the world, celebrating the positive and inclusive impact literature has on this city. Her dedication and passion for literacy and education in our communities, and for our city as a whole, its people, its legacy and its future is an inspiration to us all.”
Ali Bowden said:”It is such an honour to receive the Edinburgh Award and I’m absolutely delighted. I’m thankful to the many, many wonderful and gifted people I’ve worked with across the years, the volunteers and professionals, in big institutions and small community groups, across the city and internationally. Together we helped shape what it means to be the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, and I feel lucky to have been part of that story. I’m proud to live in a city that loves its books, stories and learning, and knows that reading and writing can change lives.”
Ali Bowden is presented with the 2025 Edinburgh Award at The City Chambers Pic Greg Macvean 04/11/2025
Ali Bowden is presented with the 2025 Edinburgh Award at The City Chambers Pic Greg Macvean 04/11/2025
Ali Bowden is presented with the 2025 Edinburgh Award at The City Chambers Pic Greg Macvean 04/11/2025
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
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