Amsterdam (The Netherlands) has been chosen as the 2008 “World Book Capital” by a selection committee, comprised of representatives of UNESCO and the three main international organizations representing the book industry, that met at UNESCO on 8 June. IPA, IFLA and IBF were present. Fran Dubruille represented IBF. Bangkok, Beirut, Dublin, Havana, Rabat and Sao Paulo were competing.
Amsterdam is the eighth city to be designated World Book Capital, after Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006) and Bogotá (2007).