Sharjah: Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has forged partnerships with leading global publishers at the ongoing 74th edition of Frankfurter Buchmesse, which is hosting publishers from 95 countries.
SBA said on Thursday, the Sharjah pavilion at the Frankfurt Book Fair has already welcomed over 150 publishers and industry professionals from around the world during the first two days of the book fair that will run until October 23.
The visitors discussed the scope of their participation at the upcoming edition of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2022), happening from November 2 to 13 at Expo Centre Sharjah. They also learned about the incentives and services offered by Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, which has attained success in opening regional business opportunities to global players.
SBA participates annually at Frankfurter Buchmesse to highlight Sharjah’s diverse cultural agenda and programmes.
Sharjah as guest of honour
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of SBA, and Mansour AlHassani, director of Publisher’s Services at SBA, discussed with representatives of the Seoul International Book Fair and Guadalajara International Book Fair, the preparations by Sharjah as guest of honour at the two forthcoming events.
Al Ameri also explored future partnerships with John Ingram, chairman of the Board of Ingram Content Group, and met with Markus Dohle, CEO of Penguin Random House, as well as Perminder Mann, CEO of Bonnier Books UK.
The SBA delegation also held several meetings with prominent entities, including the European and International Booksellers Federation, Simon & Schuster from Canada, USA-based HarperCollins Publishers, Chronicle Books from the USA, and Litera Publishing House from Romania, amongst others.
Advancing the publishing sector
Al Ameri, said: “Participation in international events, such as the Frankfurt Book Fair, is part of our ongoing efforts to advance the publishing sector in the UAE and the region, and strengthen Arab presence in global cultural venues, which stems from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and aligned with the emirate’s cultural project that is focused on building humankind and advancing the publishing industry locally and in the Arab world.”
He added: “These participations offer us the opportunity to converse with stakeholders of the creative industry and form part of our preparations for the upcoming SIBF and Publishers Conference. Over the years, Sharjah has become a global cultural leader, and many publishers, writers and creatives look forward to participating in our events. This eagerness has been reinforced by the amazing turnout of visitors to the Sharjah pavilion at this book fair, especially from those interested in establishing and strengthening their presence in Asian and African publishing markets.”
