Bodour Al Qasimi commences International Booksellers Conference
SHARJAH: Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, and Immediate Past President of International Publishers Association, highlighted environmental pressures, material shortages and hyper-inflation of energy and other costs of business during the opening of the Sharjah International Booksellers Conference, a pioneering event that is building upon the success of its inaugural event last year.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), the two-day conference brings together a host of prominent booksellers, publishers, authors, and industry luminaries from across the globe.
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi stated, “One trend that needs our immediate attention is sustainability, most importantly the impact of the book industry on the environment. It is also an opportunity to raise discussions on the book industry‘s sustainability and propose initiatives that could radically change the way we produce and distribute books, while at the same time giving us the opportunity to lead this change and be part of the process. No single publisher or bookseller or stakeholder from our ecosystem can face this challenge alone, which is why collaboration is more critical now than ever.”
In a quest to uncover new opportunities, untangle complex issues, and chart a path for the future, the two-day event — a first-of-its-kind in the region, hosting more than 400 booksellers and distributors from 69 countries — is committed to enriching the publishing industry. With a goal to spark groundbreaking discussions on the state of the industry, the conference is an unparalleled platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and expertise that will redefine the future of the publishing and bookselling industry.
The conference’s opening day started with a keynote address from Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, an inspiring welcome and introduction by Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, followed by a keynote conversation featuring the ex-CEO of Penguin Random House, Markus Dohle and Porter Anderson of Publishing Perspectives.
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, emphasised the importance of collaboration and innovation in the book industry and the need for the industry to address sustainability and effects of the industry on the environment, also discussing the growing trend of generative artificial intelligence and its potential to bring radical changes to the way books are written, published, and consumed.
She stressed the importance of staying ahead of the curve and finding ways to strengthen the industry and its processes, as well as unleashing the creative power within teams and inviting thought-leaders from different sectors to help the industry look at things differently. Emphasising the need to challenge biases in order to continuously learn and evolve, Sheikha Bodour left the audience with an impactful and motivational message, saying, “I truly believe that we are at a historic moment in our industry, and through consistent collaboration, our ability to innovate and re-imagine our industry will help transform these challenges into opportunities.”
During his opening speech at the conference, Ahmed Al Amiri highlighted the commitment of the Emirate of Sharjah to supporting and promoting the book industry both regionally and globally thanks to the visionary leadership and directives of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.