This year, 73 international delegates from 34 countries (from Argentina to the Ukraine) attended the British Council Bookcase at the Edinburgh International Book Festival between 14-18 August this year including collectively, and variously, literature programmers, translators, journalists, writers, teachers and others involved in the creative economy. Countries represented included, among others, Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, Estonia, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan, USA.

The programme offered an intensive four days of readings, performances and discussion from a wide range of established and emerging authors from the UK. All of the 35 writers taking part – including Hanif Kureishi, John Burnside, A. L Kennedy, Liz Lochhead, Dalgit Nagra – spoke in an informal and engrossing way on matters at the heart of our cultural diplomacy agenda. Three additional sessions were programmed specially for Bookcase delegates which created opportunities for longer discussion and debate with the writers followed by tea in the Caledonian Hotel.

The Bookcase is a biennial forum for intercultural dialogue through the medium of contemporary literature organised by Literature Department and British Council Scotland. The objective is to help create partnerships and recognition of the UK's creative and knowledge economy and introduce new writing to world-wide audiences. Past Bookcases have led to the identification of new partnerships, the creation of networks and the publication of books in translation.

In support of Kolkata’s bid to become a UNESCO City of Literature, three writers from that town - Rimi B. Chatterjee, Alka Saraogi and Srijato - all represented Kolkata's new vibrant literary generation. Though widely known in India, The Bookcase was an opportunity for the writers to reach a more international audience. Alka Saraogi said, ‘To be a part of Edinburgh Bookcase means an opportunity to get to know if there can indeed be a global culture of ideas and expressions. At the same time it is to know how different and unique cultures can speak to each other.’

Next year Scotland will participate as the ‘theme country’ at the Kolkata Book Fair.

The Bookcase also partnered with Edinburgh, the inaugural UNESCO City of Literature, in organising an additional day-long seminar for delegates to encourage other cities to create a global network of creative literary cities.