The director of UNESCO Irina Bokova has announced that Athens has become the World Book Capital 2018. The city was awarded the honorary title for promoting programs on reading. Among them are organizing meetings with writers, translators,  holding concerts , thematic exhibitions, and conferences . The city intends to make books accessible to all people , including refugees and immigrants . The decision to award the city the title was made by the Selection Committee , comprised of the International Publishers Association, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), and the UNESCO.