BCBF speakers hail SIBF Publishers Conference

Panel members at the session included Emma House, Publishing Consultant, and Mansour Al Hassani, Head of Sales, SBA, and General Coordinator of the Publishers Conference.

Discussing her experience with the Publishers Conference, organised by SBA in collaboration with the International Publishers Association (IPA), Emma House noted that it opened a window into understanding Arab culture and building sustainable and close relationships with literary and artistic entities in the region. She remarked that the conference is also an efficient platform that convenes publishers from around the world to discuss the challenges they face and propose effective solutions that support the sector.

“Through the conference, I met many Arab publishers who became my friends, and these relationships have had a positive impact on my career. This would not have been possible without the Publishers Conference which provided industry stakeholders with a platform for engagement and collaboration, and has supported it at the global level,” said Emma House.  

“One of the conference’s most significant advantages is the opportunity it offers to participate in the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF). The participation enables authors and publishers to meet their counterparts, readers, and all other professionals involved in the book industry. This helps form a network of close relationships that are important for the sustainability and development of the publishing industry,” she added.
 
Elaborating on SBA’s continued efforts in developing and enriching the Publishers Conference, Mansour Al Hassani noted that new awards would be announced to honour and motivate distinguished publishers in recognition of their role, as well as to take forward their success stories to the world.

Al Hassani also revealed that registrations for the 2022 edition of the Publishers Conference are now open for all participants.

Al Hassani said that the Publishers Conference is like a workshop where publishers present their challenges, suggest solutions and explore ways to implement those solutions in line with the needs and characteristics of each culture, pointing out that the rich and diverse conference covers all fields and types of publishing.