This weekend, the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) will welcome the publishing industry from the region and the world to the 3rd edition of the Booksellers Conference, taking place at the Expo Centre Sharjah, from 27-28 April 2024. The conference, serving as a prelude to the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, will bring together more than 550 booksellers, distributors, and publishing professionals from 76 countries around the globe.

 The conference will commence with a keynote address delivered by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority. During the speech she will underscore the conference’s accomplishments and ongoing progress, emphasising its significance as a pivotal forum that unites industry leaders to influence the trajectory of the publishing and distribution fields. Participants will also be privileged to engage in a discussion led by Andrea Giunti, the Executive Vice-President of Giunti Bookstores in Italy.

Over 30 speakers will share their insights across a variety of events, sessions, and workshops. They will delve into critical issues, standards, and practices to ensure major distributors carry titles. Additionally, they will shed light on the main challenges currently impacting the publishing and distribution industries through an extensive agenda comprising 30 discussion panels and workshops that will explore new opportunities in the publishing and distribution sectors, as well as highlight current trends and innovative strategies aimed at driving the growth and success of the industry worldwide.

PublisHer

The PublisHer organisation, committed to empowering women in the publishing industry, is set to host a thought-provoking discussion panel on Day 1 (Saturday 27 April). The panel will feature Dr. Raja Al Gurg, Chairperson and Managing Director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, who will share her insights and vision regarding the current landscape and future prospects of the publishing and distribution sectors. This session presents a unique opportunity to interact with this esteemed business leader and acquire a personally signed copy of her autobiography.

In addition, the event will include a session titled ‘What Not to Wear,’ offering valuable guidance on best practices for enhancing the global visibility of publishers’ works while highlighting potential pitfalls to avoid. Furthermore, the ‘Meet a Mentor’ session will provide attendees with the chance to engage in meaningful discussions with a prominent female figure from the publishing industry.

Breaking barriers and the future of publishing

The conference will begin its second-day sessions (Sunday 28 April) with Emile Tyan, founder of Librairie Antoine, Lebanon, in conversation with Nadia Wassef from Diwan Publishing, Egypt. He will share insights about his journey in the publishing and distribution world. In a keynote speech, Ahmed Rewihel, founder of Arabookverse in the UK and Egypt, will present his vision of the reality and future of the publishing and distribution sectors.

Under the title ‘Breaking Barriers in Publishing,’ the PublisHer initiative will host Ms Kritee Sharma, Partnerships Manager at the SheTrade Initiative, to discuss the role of women in the publishing sector and highlight the women’s increasing share and role in the industry globally.

Workshops

The conference will feature a series of specialised workshops presented by a selection of Arab and international literary agents and publishers, which will open a window to explore a wide range of vital issues, from ‘Bookstores in Shopping Malls’ to ‘Making the most of social media’ and ‘Community Engagement’ to ‘Distributor and Publisher Brand’, covering various topics that expand knowledge and professional development.

Through workshops including ‘Publishing in the AI Era: Unveiling the Multi-Format Makeover’, and ‘Innovative working methods for distributing children’s books,’ the conference provides an ideal platform for exchanging experiences and enriching publishers’ and booksellers’ knowledge about ‘How to conclude agreements with distributors, and what are the benefits accruing to these agreements’ offering a dedicated venue that brings together publishers and distributors from different cultures and backgrounds to form a unified vision that contributes to shaping the future of global publishing.