Is Dumaguete City our literary Shire?
Dumaguete City in the Philippines is being celebrated as a literary hub following its designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature. A new anthology and recent book festivals highlight the city's deep connection to Philippine history and literature.
Why it matters
The recognition of cultural sites by UNESCO promotes local tourism and preserves regional literary heritage.
Negros Oriental Provincial Tourism Board Launched on July 17 during the 6200 BookFest in Dumaguete City was a milestone of a book celebrating the spirit of the place, all of 482 pages, and it couldn't have come at a better time, since the genius loci has been on quite a roll.
The Gentlest City Imagined: An Anthology of Literary Works About Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental, edited by Ian Rosales Casocot and published by the Vibal Foundation, strengthens the appropriate glorification of a cultural site that gained official status as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature on Oct. 31, 2025.
Since then, what has long gained the popular tag as "the city of gentle people" has kept enhancing its international designation. Not a day passes without a socmed citation or mention of Dumaguete as having hosted a gamut of events involving literature and related arts.
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