Continuing her tour of pandemic-hit publishing markets worldwide, International Publishers Association (IPA) president Bodour Al Qasimi was in Madrid the Spanish capital to meet publishers and reinforce the IPA’s commitment to engage with all stakeholders to identify opportunities for global cooperation to develop robust business ecosystems and fuel growth.
Addressing representatives of various publishing houses and board members of the Spanish Association of Publishers Guilds, Al Qasimi said that the IPA is in a unique position to unite publishers’ efforts globally and to urge governments and international organizations to foster a nurturing environment for publishers and publishing to operate and flourish.
Al Qasimi also briefed attendees on efforts in unify the voice and vision of the industry ecosystem through new projects implemented following publication of its From Response to Recovery report last year. Among the new projects are the IPA Academy, a centralized global training resource that aims to upskill and drive digital transformation, and the International Sustainable Publishing and Industry Resilience (InSPIRe) Plan, that aims to strengthen solidarity and collaboration between publishers and all stakeholders in the industry value chain including printers, authors, libraries, bookstores, and illustrators.
Stating that the InSPIRe plan will help unite the industry and boost its growth, Al Qasimi reiterated the importance of close cooperation among stakeholders to stimulate the future of the publishing industry.