Edinburgh is to host the Unesco Cities of Literature network conference in 2024, marking 20 years since it became the first city to be given the designation.

Representatives from more than 40 literary cities around the world will come to Edinburgh in October of that year to mark the achievements of the past two decades and plan for the future.

The City of Literature title and concept was devised in Edinburgh and the Scottish capital was designated as the world’s first such city by Unesco in 2004.

There are currently 42 Cities of Literature in 32 countries across six continents, and by 2024 it is anticipated that number will have grown to 45.

Edinburgh is also the founding city in the wider Unesco Creative Cities network which embraces seven different art forms.

Ali Bowden, director of the Edinburgh Unesco City of Literature Trust, said: “At the very heart of Edinburgh’s City of Literature status is the idea of international collaboration and sharing.

“We are very much looking forward to welcoming representatives from literary cities around the world to Edinburgh, to show off our beautiful city, our literary heritage and thriving contemporary literary scene.

“We want to share ideas, celebrate the achievements of cities across the network and inspire newly designated cities.

“We want to spark ideas for new cross-art form collaborations and new international projects to support writers and readers across the Creative Cities network.”

Other Unesco cities of literature include Barcelona in Spain, Baghdad in Iraq, Durban in South Africa, Heidelberg in Germany, Odessa in Ukraine, and Prague in the Czech Republic.

Edinburgh’s literary communities include national organisations like the Scottish Book Trust, Publishing Scotland and the National Library of Scotland, while the city also hosts the Edinburgh International Book Festival each summer.