1001 Titles Initiative Organises a Specialised Workshop on 
Innovation in Publishing

After putting 1,001 first-edition locally produced quality Arabic titles on book shelves in the UAE and the region in its pilot phase, the ‘1001 Titles’ project launched by Sharjah-based cultural initiative, Knowledge without Borders (KwB), has got the ball rolling in preparations for phase two, which will see the publication of the next set of 1,001 titles in 2018–19.

To this end, the initiative recently organised a workshop themed ‘Innovation in Publishing’. Conducted by strategic advisor Robert Castro, with an attendance of authors and publishers who hold membership of the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA), and many authors who are taking part in the initiative, the workshop addressed authors’ strengths, opportunities, aspirations and outcomes, and highlighted their roles and responsibilities in the publishing industry. The workshop also provided a platform to publishers to exchange their visions and experiences in this UAE’s vibrant publishing industry.  

“The idea behind the workshop was to equip the participating publishers and authors in the second phase of 1001 Titles with the strategic knowledge, global best practice, market information and consumer behaviour analysis – elements that will guide them through the commissioning, writing and production process,” said Majd Al Shehhi, Manager of 1001 Titles initiative.

The workshop shed light on ways to identify opportunities to improve profitability, market share and competitive edge, and the importance of using measures to quantify and track success. Publishers were also told about the important role they play in developing potential authors by identifying their needs, and guiding motivating them.

The workshop saw the globally recognised action-oriented S.O.A.R. (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) analysis tool being used by stakeholders to recognise the potential of the sector, and how they can benefit from it through a shared vision of the future. The model was used to attain a detailed understanding of the UAE publishing sector, to explore new initiatives, ensure that the existing ones are used optimally, and to focus and redirect efforts and resources where required.

The second phase of the 1001 Titles initiative will comprise 1,001 books by UAE authors and publishers from the EPA, which will be published in 2018-2019, with an
AED 5 million budget.

Themed ‘Nurturing Talent to Enrich Content’, the 1001 Titles is an initiative launched by KwB in February 2016, under the patronage of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and President of the Emirates Publishers Association and Head of the KwB Organizing Committee. The first phase of the initiative aimed to publish 1,001 first-edition Arabic books, enhancing the UAE’s collective intellectual product and ensuring the sustainability of the publishing industry in the country and beyond. The initiative also supported Emirati authors to write more books, facilitate publishing houses and increase their competitiveness on regional and global scales.