‘1001 Titles’ Manager Completes Yale Publishing Course

‘1001Titles,’ an initiative from Sharjah-based cultural organisation Knowledge without Borders (KwB), has received a major boost following its manager’s completion of a leading publishing course at Yale University, USA. Majd Al Shehhi’s attendance at the prestigious Ivy League institution’s ‘Leadership Strategies in Book Publishing’ programme was aimed at enhancing the attributes of the initiative, which plans to publish 1,001 Arabic titles throughout this year and the next. 

Taking place from July 31 to August 5, the Yale Publishing Course dealt with the latest developments in the industry, with senior figures from the American publishing sector giving presentations and workshops to the course participants. Among the seminar titles in the week-long activity were ‘Creating a Learning Organisation in Multi-Channel Publishing,’ ‘Visual Thinking,’ ‘Niche Publishing’ and ‘Dealing with Today’s Greatest Publishing Challenges.’ 

Majd Al Shehhi says that the programme has given her a deeper understanding of an array of publishing aspects, which will help her in her role as the manager of the recently launched 1001 Titles’ initiative. 

 “Thanks to the incredible support and directives of Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Head of KwB’s Organising Committee. I have been able to gain valuable new insights into publishing following my completion of the Yale Publishing Course. The programme has given me an enhanced perspective of different facets of the industry, including digital publishing and the importance of the visual component. It has undoubtedly broadened my knowledge and I am looking forward to putting into practice what I have learned so that 1001 Titles can fully meet its objectives,” said Majd Al Shehhi, manager of the 1001 Titles initiative.

KwB launched 1001 Titles in February this year to correspond with 2016 being declared the Year of Reading by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and to be in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to support and enrich the region’s cultural and literary sphere. KwB aims to establish reading as a habit in every household in the UAE by encouraging the establishment of home libraries and supplying these libraries with the best books in a variety of genres suitable for all the family.