Sharjah forges partnerships with European publishers at LBF 2023

Overseen by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), the pavilion functioned as a gateway for the European publishing sector, cultural and intellectual institutions, to the Arab and Emirati cultural scene. Through its participation, Sharjah aims to advance the collaboration with European publishers in the knowledge economy.

The emirate's pavilion attracted significant attention from major British and European cultural and diplomatic institutions, demonstrating the emirate's growing presence on the global cultural map. Sharjah's recognition as the “Market Focus” of the 49th edition of LBF underscored its commitment to expanding the publishing market, supporting authors and creatives in the MENA region, and connecting them with Western and Asian counterparts through the Sharjah International Book Fair, the largest book fair in terms of copyright sales.

During its participation, the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, a subsidiary of SBA, signed agreements with several British and European publishers, to establish their companies’ branches within the "Sharjah Publishing City". This move will support publishers in tapping into the Middle East and Asian markets, as well as leveraging the services and facilities offered by the city to connect with global publishing markets.

The SPC's delegation met with over 35 publishing houses, including MM Educational Group, Harpers, Histria Books, Y Ventures, BPB Publications, Om Books, Litera, Haus Publishing, and Crossword Bookstores. The new companies joining the city and the contracts signing will be announced at the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival.

During the three-day event, SBA highlighted partnership opportunities to advance collaboration with European institutions. The Sharjah pavilion introduced visitors to the distinguished work of Emirati and Arab creators, writers, and researchers through curated English publications from Al Qasimi Publications, and Sharjah Department of Culture.

Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), convened with several officials of major publishing institutions to explore cooperation areas to advance the book industry. The Chairman met with John Ingram, Chairman of Ingram Content Group; Markus Dohle, former CEO of Penguin Random House; Perminder Mann, CEO of Bonnier Books UK; and Ian Chapman, Chief Executive and Publisher, Simon & Schuster UK and International, among others.

During the meetings, Al Ameri discussed the opportunities provided by the Authority through the Sharjah International Book Fair, the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, and accompanying major events such as the Publishers Conference and Booksellers Conference, as well as the Sharjah Animation Conference - the first-of-its-kind event organised by the Authority this year - the Sharjah Award for Translation (Turjuman), the Translation Grant, and other international efforts.

Al Ameri said, "On every occasion where the emirate has participated in international forums and exhibitions, it has duly affirmed the success and potency of its cultural project, which translates the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who believes and champions the impact of knowledge and books in forging solid relations between nations and societies. His Highness asserted that the knowledge industry is not merely a means for building communities and bolstering their standing between world cultures but also is the most sustainable and impactful industry for creating a bright future for humanity."

The Chairman added: "We are confident and optimistic about the book and knowledge industry's opportunities. Sharjah is keen on seizing the fruits of Arab and global publishing opportunities. Sharjah is working on bridging the publishing markets in the region with the world and introducing new opportunities for Arab and Emirati work to achieve its deserved presence in international book fairs. To this end, we are committed to participating in major international book fairs such as LBF to complement the efforts we are working on and to achieve the desired results."

Moreover, Mansour Al Hassani, Director of Publisher Services at SBA, said, "SBA is leading the participation in LBF as part of its ongoing efforts to attract more publishers, distributors, and content creators to participate in the book fairs and conferences organised by the Authority, which have become international platforms that target professionals in the publishing industry where they can forge deals, purchase publishing rights, and ink partnerships, resulting in translation projects that highlight Sharjah's central role in the global publishing movement."

Al Hassani stated that the Sharjah pavilion at the London Book Fair witnessed a significant turnout of visitors and participants, attributing this success to the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad AlQasimi, “His Highness’s vision has established Sharjah as a vital hub for international book fairs, and a gateway for publishers seeking to penetrate the Middle East and Asia markets. Additionally, the emirate has evolved into a pivotal meeting place for publishing professionals and book manufacturers to collaborate and network.”

He further commented, "During our participation in LBF this year, we had the opportunity to carry out fruitful meetings with several British and European publishers. These meetings were crucial in our preparations for the upcoming Sharjah Publishers Conference, scheduled to be held in November. We also engaged in a series of consultative and introductory discussions related to the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, the Sharjah International Library Conference, and the ongoing preparations for this year's Sharjah International Book Fair."

During its participation, SBA showcased Sharjah International Literary Agency services, as well as the numerous opportunities within the publishing sector, the emirate’s facilities and infrastructure designed to support literary and creative industries.

Under the emirate’s umbrella at LBF, Sharjah Department of Culture, Sharjah Publishing City, the Sharjah International Book Fair Translation Grant, Kalimat Group, Arab Children's Book Publisher Forum, and Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's' Literature showcased their offerings and experiences that translate Sharjah’s vision and cultural project.