Sharjah pushes Arab literature into Latin America

June 25, 2025 / 6:07 PM

Sharjah 24: The Sharjah Literary Agency conducted a series of professional meetings and gatherings with leading Latin American publishers and cultural institutions during its participation at the 2025 Rio International Book Fair (Bienal do Livro), held from June 13–22. These engagements focused on forging new opportunities to translate Arab literature into Portuguese, expand rights sales and acquisitions, and build strategic partnerships to strengthen Arab literature’s presence in emerging markets.

As Latin America’s premier book industry event, this year’s fair coincided with Rio’s designation as UNESCO World Book Capital. This offered the Agency a significant opportunity to connect with major publishing players across the continent.

Global interest in Arab literature

Commenting on the participation, Tamer Said, Director of the Sharjah Literary Agency, stated: “Our participation in the Rio International Book Fair was a significant step toward building sustainable partnerships with Latin American publishing institutions. We witnessed a genuine interest in Arab literature from Brazilian publishers, opening up a promising opportunity to expand translation and distribution circles and introduce the voice of the Arab author to new readers and diverse cultural landscapes. At the Sharjah Literary Agency, we believe that building literary bridges is at the heart of our work, and investing in these key cultural events will make a long-lasting impact on Arab publishing globally.”

Exploring opportunities for translation and co-publishing

During the meetings with Brazilian publishers, the Agency discussed mechanisms for reciprocal translation and the possibilities of co-publishing, as well as how to professionally manage Arab authors’ rights in Latin America. Future collaborations were also discussed with potential partners, laying the groundwork for new projects that aim to enhance the presence of Arab creativity in South America.

This participation is part of a broader strategic vision led by the Emirate of Sharjah to strengthen cultural exchange between the Arab world and Latin America by consolidating its presence on international platforms and fostering direct dialogue between publishing stakeholders on both sides.

The Sharjah Literary Agency, one of the initiatives of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), aims to empower Arab writers to access new markets and bolster the presence of Arab literary rights on global platforms. The Agency remains firmly committed to representing Arab creativity and expanding its reach on the international scene, contributing to sustainable bridges of cultural and knowledge exchange between peoples.