NEWYORK, United States: Shiraz, the capital of the Iranian southern province of Fars, was proposed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as one of the world creative cities to be listed as this years' second literary city in the world.

Talking to newsmen, Iranian writer and researcher Zahra Qaemi said the provincial capital of Shiraz was constructed at the center of the ancient Persian civilization, adding that it is the birth place of many prominent figures such as poets Hafez and Sa'di as well as philosopher Molla Sadra.

She expounded on the literary and cultural aspects of the city and added that it deserves to be recognized as creative and literary city.

Turning to the mild and beautiful nature of the city, she said that throughout the history, celebrities and people from Shiraz have been inspired by its urban architecture and ancient cultural monuments, which provide a proper atmosphere for creating literary masterpieces.

The Scottish city of Edinburgh was earlier declared by UNESCO as the first world literary city. UNESCO's proposal for recognizing Shiraz as the second world literary city is currently being pursued.