06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Former Castle Douglas school pupil chosen to receive prestigious Edinburgh Award 2025
Ali Bowden will follow in the footsteps of JK Rowling, Sir Chris Hoy and Nicola Benedetti when she receives the accolade.
A former Castle Douglas school pupil has been chosen to receive a prestigious award.
Ali Bowden, the first director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature, will be presented with this year's Edinburgh Award, which recognises people who have made a positive impact on the city and gained national and international recognition for Edinburgh.
Previous winners since the award began in 2007 include authors Sir Ian Rankin, JK Rowling and Sir Alexander McCall Smith, violinist Nicola Benedetti, Olympic gold medal winning cyclist Sir Chris Hoy and the late businessman Sir Tom Farmer.
Ali, who attended both Castle Douglas Primary and High School, became director of Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature in 2006, following a 10year career in publishing and was in the role for most of its 20-year history, standing down in September last year.
Edinburgh became the world's first UNESCO Creative City in 2004 and in the following years Ali helped to welcome new cities of literature as they joined, recruiting others from around the world in a bid to diversify the network.
She said: There's no doubt that Edinburgh has stolen my heart, and I've happily spent the last few decades banging the drum for this impressive, bookish, story-filled and ever-changing city.
'I am humbled, honoured and delighted – in equal measure – to be receiving the Edinburgh Award. I know it's only possible because of all the kind souls I've worked with over the years, on projects big and small, locally and internationally.
'All of them equally inspired by Edinburgh, this amazing, and first, City of Literature. Thank you all for doing a bit of hard work when I asked.'
The Lord Provost said: 'Ali Bowden is a most deserved recipient of the Edinburgh Award, and I'm really pleased that she has accepted the Civic Awards Committee decision to present it to her.
'Edinburgh blazed a trail when it became the first UNESCO Creative City in 2004 and with Ali at the helm for almost 20 years it has continued to flourish in this position.
'Not only has Ali gone above and beyond to create a diverse and engaging range of projects and programmes to enhance the literary city, she has played a key role in connecting Edinburgh with other literary cities around the world.
'I'd like to congratulate Ali on behalf of the city - we will all benefit from her legacy, which builds on the Capital's rich literary heritage while also bringing reading and literature to new and varied audiences.'
