Sharjah Publishing City Opens its Doors to the World at 32nd International Publishers Congress

In keeping with its dedication to further promote the emirate of Sharjah as one of the world’s most vibrant book industry centres, the Sharjah Publishing City (SPC) participated in the 32nd edition of the International Publishers Association Congress (IPA Congress), organised by the International Publishers Association (IPA) and sponsored by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in New Delhi, India.

The SPC, the world’s first free zone dedicated to publishing, participated in this international event, given its global importance as one of the most significant recent developments in the business, and owing to the fact that it is a platform dedicated entirely to addressing key publishing principles, and exploring latest novelties in the book industry.

The SPC was keen to promote the key services delivered to publishers as a fully-integrated cultural project that creates an ideal environment for book experts and facilitates major processes like printing, translation, editing, designing and distribution services – all in one destination. These advantages were welcomed and appreciated by participating publishers from around the world, who showed great interest in joining the City and making the most of its premium services, pointing out the significant impact of Arabic books market on the global market.

HE Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, participated in a panel titled ‘Brimging Publishing Markets Together’, alongside José Borghino, Secretary General of IPA; Ramesh K. Mittal, Director of DK Agencies; and Jacks Thomas, Director of London Book Fair (LBF). The panel was moderated by Pierre Dutilleul, CEO of French ‘Syndicat national de l'édition’.

“In Sharjah, we firmly believe that nothing is more important than true convergence between publishing markets, and the best way to do that is to curate book fairs. The Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) will be celebrating its 37th edition this year, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who constantly emphasised that the world can achieve tolerance and coexistence through books and knowledge,” said HE Ahmed Al Ameri.

“Each year the SIBF hosts hundreds of publishers, including Indian publishers. The UAE is a substantial market for Indian book experts, and SIBF is a gateway not only to the MENA region, but also to international markets, especially as India’s annual books exports to the Arab world are valued at USD 30 million,” he added.

Al Ameri pointed out that SIBF 2017 hosted 1,600 exhibitors from 60 countries, of which 120 publishers were Indian, along with an array of accomplished authors from around the world, of which 40 were Indian nationals.

The SBA Chairman underscored that book fairs will always be the largest global platforms that bring together all publishing industry experts. Despite technological and digital advances in social media and the business world, publishers, authors, illustrators and other book experts prefer to meet and strike deals personally in one-on-one meetings, and this is what usually happens at book fairs – connections they look forward to facilitating at SIBF.

For his part, Salim Omar Salim, Manager of SPC, said: “This participation aligns with SPC’s dedication to attracting publishers from around the world by promoting its services and facilities, exemplified by the ease of access to not just the book production process from A-Z within at one location; these advantages keep adding up with tax exemption, potential opportunities to cooperate and coordinate with international publishers, and other rewarding opportunities.”

On the side-lines of its participation, the SBA hosted a gala dinner for participating publishers, where HE Ahmed Al Ameri recounted the historical links between the UAE and India and the impact of economic relations of cultural exchange between India and the Gulf in general. He encouraged publishers to invest in SPC and take it as their gateway to regional and international markets.

During the IPA Congress, Al Ameri presented the Association of Publishers in India’s ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to Peter Booth Wiley, Chairman of Wiley & Sons, in recognition of the role of his publishing house in the global book industry.

The SPC held an array of fruitful meetings with representatives from Indian and international publishing houses, and discussed various aspects of the latest developments and novelties in the publishing sector. It explored changing needs and aspirations of publishers in context of the changing business environment, as well as the ideal way to enable them to expand and reach broader segments of readers worldwide.

Established in December 2014, SBA is dedicated to encouraging investment in creative industries and offering a platform for knowledge and intellectual exchange between people from different civilizations and cultures. SBA aims to highlight the significant role of writers and their influence in promoting community awareness in view of the technological advancements and diversity of knowledge sources.

It also seeks to attract relevant bodies and figures operating in the cultural sector in general, and the publishing, printing, translation, documentation and children’s books in particular.