Sharjah forges publishing future via meetings for global pros

A journey from Burkina Faso

Hailing from Burkina Faso in West Africa, for Nazinigouba Kabore, founder of ‘Les Editions Ecovie’, his journey in the publishing industry is both inspiring and deeply personal. He came to Sharjah to learn from global peers, but also carrying a heavy heart; as his son believed there was “no future in books” and declined to take over the family business.

The conference, however, has renewed his hope, and Kabore stated: “Coming here and hearing that the book industry is strong, that it's not disappearing, has given me new hope. I will try again to convince my son to take over the business. My own path was unconventional; I was a traffic controller, then worked in trade unions and popular education, before a Swiss publisher encouraged me to start my own publishing house, even at my advanced age. I did it because I believe books are powerful tools to change minds and bring society together.”

Empowering Arabic content on the global stage

For Fatima Al-Khatib of the UAE’s Sidra Publishing House, the conference is a cornerstone for building global bridges. She emphasised that Sharjah’s practical support, particularly through publisher grants, has been invaluable in empowering local publishing houses to compete internationally and acquire rights to world titles. “This conference and these on-on-one meetings create an environment that helps translation efforts grow; and it opens up many new opportunities for us as Arabic publishers. We can carefully choose the best books from around the world and build partnerships that improve and diversify the content we offer our readers. This is how we strengthen the role of Arab publishing worldwide,” Al-Khatib explained.

A Turkish publisher’s perspective

Hülya Balcı, from Istanbul’s Doğan Yayınları, said the Sharjah conference is a premier networking opportunity; and highlighted the significant advantage of moving beyond knowing names to meeting faces, creating a foundation for genuine professional relationships. She also described the atmosphere in Sharjah as “lovely,” with everyone actively connecting and exchanging cards in a spirit of collaboration.

“We are here with two main goals: to find new books to acquire and to sell the rights to our own publications. Being on both sides of the publishing equation makes this environment ideal for us; and it really facilitates the global connections that are essential in the international book trade, making this trip incredibly valuable for our business development,” Balcı explained.

A French scout’s translation mission

Peter Thorne of France’s Édition Mirages et Lumières is a first-time visitor with a clear mission; to find Arabic texts for translation into French. Identifying the key benefit of the Sharjah conference, Thorne explained, “The great advantage of Sharjah is that meeting people is very easy. Everybody is on the same level, and it's very simple to just address anyone, to say hi and start a conversation. This accessible environment is key, and it’s already translated into promising opportunities. I had two meetings this morning, and both of them look good. I am confident I can do business here, finding valuable Arabic texts that we can translate into French for the European market.”

From a spark of inspiration to cultural bridges

Nadine Bakhous’ journey into publishing began with a programme through the Sharjah Publishing Sustainability Fund (Onshur), which she calls the “spark” that gave her the tools and vision to found ‘Al-Bouma Publishing’. Based in Sharjah, her publishing house focuses on children’s literature that tackles important themes from emotions to family relationships. For her, the conference is the next logical step: a vital gathering to connect with global peers. “We aim to translate our Arabic titles into more living languages and share our human literature with new readers,” she says. She firmly believes that beautiful words know no boundaries and that books are essential bridges between cultures.

Building connections from Pakistan

Khalid Mehmood of Pakistan’s Jamhoori Publications sees the conference and exclusive matchmaking sessions as a source of innovation and cross-cultural exchange. For him, the biggest benefit is gaining “new ideas” and insights into how the publishing industry operates in other countries. "For us, the biggest benefit is the chance to exchange ideas and share our experiences with international colleagues.

It’s a great experience that gives us new ideas about what is happening in publishing in other countries. Our focus is squarely on Arabic literature, which is why we come here; and we have a full schedule of meetings and are already working to secure more for tomorrow. We are looking forward to turning these interactions into formal arrangements and signing agreements that will benefit our company,” Mehmood stated.