Do you know what kaupunni means? It is a dialectal form of kaupunki which means ‘city’. And what about lukevin? It is the superlative form of reading, meaning that we read a great deal, and we promote literacy skills together. 

The Lukevin kaupunni campaign includes a promise of action. It is not about winning, ranking or showing off to others, but a promise to the residents of the municipality: good literacy is important to the people of Oulu and together we will build a city where strong literacy belongs to everyone. Our common goal is to enable every citizen of Oulu to have strong literacy and a good life. Reading brings joy and increases well-being. Oulu is building its own literacy strategy in Lukutekojen Oulu -project.

Literacy skills are important for the citizens of Oulu. The Lukevin kaupunni Campaign encourages citizens of Oulu to develop their multiliteracy skills and read more. We bring up stories and reading methods in many forms. Reading brings joy and promotes wellbeing. Our shared goal is to make strong literacy skills and good life possible for all citizens of Oulu. In 2026, Oulu will be the European Capital of Culture. The Lukevin kaupunni Campaign starts our trip towards our shared goal: Oulu will also be the European Reading Capital of Culture in 2026. 

The Lukevin kaupunni Campaign was launched during the Oulu Book Fair on October 19, 2024. Read the article about the launch on My Oulu: Oulusta halutaan Euroopan lukevin kulttuuripääkaupunki: ”Lukeminen on avain sivistykseen” (in Finnish). In 2025, the Campaign’s themes are different readers and literacy activities in Oulu.  

The Reading & Library Cooperation Steering Group is responsible for the Lukevin kaupunni Campaign.  

Use the hashtags #EuroopanLukevinKulttuuripääkaupunki #Lukevinkaupunni #OuluLukee and # Oulu2026 on social media. 

The visuality of the Campaign was designed by Laboratorio Uleåborg (in Finnish).