Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), officially inaugurated the 14th Sharjah Publishers Conference at the Expo Centre Sharjah. This prestigious three-day event, organised by the SBA in collaboration with the International Publishers Association, precedes the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair set to begin on Wednesday.
The conference has drawn an impressive gathering of 1,065 publishers and literary agents, along with 74 speakers, representing a diverse array of 108 countries worldwide. This global participation underscores the conference’s global importance as a major platform for international publishing professionals to exchange ideas, forge partnerships, and explore publishing partnerships regarding rights, distribution and sales.
The conference began with an impactful speech by Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, in which she said, “the Sharjah Publishers Conference embodies our commitment to fostering a global publishing community that champions cross-border cultural exchange and innovation. As publishing navigates many rapid, wide-ranging changes, our role is to ensure that new voices can be heard, and that the industry evolves with integrity and inclusiveness. Together, we can continue building a publishing landscape that unites people across borders and celebrates the diversity of human stories.”
Honouring the winners of the Sharjah Rights Connection Awards
During the first day of the conference, Bodour Al Qasimi and Ahmed Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, honoured the winners of the 3rd Sharjah Rights Connection Awards, which aims to celebrate exceptional efforts in supporting and developing the publishing rights and translation sector. The “Professionals working within publishing houses buying and selling translation rights” category was won by Kalem Agency, Turkey, represented by Nermin Mollaoğlu, Founder and Head of the agency. As for the “Independent professionals or those employed by agencies involved in buying and selling these rights” category, it went to Ahmed Bedeir, General Manager at Dar El Shorouk in Egypt. After a touching acknowledgement, a Special Appreciation Award was awarded to Bassam Chebaro, Founder of Arab Scientific Publishers, who sadly passed away in August. An Appreciation Award was also given to Bill Kennedy, Founder and Director of Avicenna Partnership Ltd. These appreciation awards were in recognition of their incredible efforts in promoting the publishing industry and knowledge exchange.
‘Glocal’ trends across international markets
The opening day featured an insightful conversation with Chantal Restivo-Alessi, Chief Digital Officer and CEO of International Foreign Language at HarperCollins Publishers, conducted by Porter Anderson of Publishing Perspectives magazine. Restivo-Alessi discussed the publishing industry’s growth potential and its symbiotic relationships with various sectors, emphasising the evidential role of books in enhancing global understanding and societal progress.
During the interview, she also discussed the evolving landscape of global publishing, explaining how many countries share similar genre interests, leading to a trend she calls “Glocal,” which highlights local adaptations of popular genres. Restivo-Alessi expressed optimism about attracting new and younger readers through specific genres, stating, “Books have arguably become much more accessible than ever, allowing us to engage a broader audience. This accessibility is vital as we seek to draw in younger readers who may not have previously considered reading as a primary form of entertainment.”
“There has also been a major increase in the translation of international works into English, and these connections and relationships are often formed through networking at events like this publishers conference in Sharjah, forging essential partnerships that drive these collaborations forward,” she added.
The importance of accessibility in publishing
The first day of the conference featured a keynote speech by John Ingram, Chairman of Ingram Content Group and Chairman of Lightning Source, in conversation with Ed Nawotka, Senior Editor, International and Bookselling, Publishers Weekly. Ingram stressed the importance of accessibility in publishing, particularly for smaller-scale producers, and noted the need for timely delivery of works to consumers in today’s fast-paced market.
He highlighted how Ingram’s services enable authors and publishers to be included in their extensive database, which now boasts over 13 million units in its global print-on-demand catalogue. Ingram noted, “Over 25% of our catalogue is in languages other than English, and we’re seeing significant sales for that content, particularly in the U.S. German and Spanish are currently the top two languages, but there’s no reason why we couldn’t see substantial Arabic content sales as well, especially considering the number of public libraries in the U.S. serving diverse communities.”
Horizons for developing publishing in 30 roundtable sessions and workshops
The first day of the Publishers Conference featured 30 interactive roundtable sessions led by respected experts and notable professionals within the industry that brought together publishers to explore key opportunities in modern publishing. Key topics included advancements in digital publishing, the growing audiobook market, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the industry. Participants discussed effective strategies for marketing audio content, producing audiobooks, and leveraging AI to enhance publishing processes and marketing efforts.
These sessions also emphasised sustainability in publishing, offering insights into environmentally friendly practices and long-term viability. The small-group format fostered valuable networking opportunities and professional development, allowing attendees to share knowledge on critical subjects like digital distribution strategies and content marketing, ultimately reflecting the industry’s commitment to innovation and growth.
The workshops included topics such as global digital distribution, ways to combat piracy, improving sales on Amazon, in addition to direct-to-consumer sales strategies. They also reviewed how to organise events with authors and ways to deal with the global trade press, focusing on investing in geographical areas with large populations as promising opportunities to expand publishers’ businesses in multiple languages.
The Sharjah Publishers Conference represents a prominent annual event that brings together elite publishing industry experts, literary agents, and thought leaders from around the world. The conference is held before the launch of the Sharjah International Book Fair and aims to discuss local and global publishing challenges, and explore innovative solutions that align with publishing market developments and changing reader needs. It is also considered an international platform for concluding publishing and translation rights exchange deals, and building strategic partnerships between various active parties in the publishing industry.
