Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat Publishing Group represented the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) at the board meeting held by the Arab Publishers’ Association (APA)at Algeria International Book Fair. The event took place from the 31st of October to the 9th of November.
The meeting aimed to discuss the current state of the publishing sector in the Arab region and was attended by Asem Shalaby, President of Arab Publishers Association, Ahmed Fahad Al-Hamdan, Vice President of Arab Publishers Association, and Mohamed Ali Baydoun, Secretary General. During the board meeting, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi was chosen as Head of the Professional Development Committee.
Speaking on the occasion, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, said, “Publishing in the Arab world is entering an extremely exciting renaissance with ever increasing numbers of innovative and forward thinking Arabic publishers stepping to the fore. It is therefore vitally important, in this time of rapid progress and change, that we as Arab publishers are proactively engaged in finding ways to encourage and support this flourishing industry. Meetings such as this one, act as key platforms that allow for the exchange of experience and expertise as well as functioning as a conduit to facilitate the establishment of the productive and synergistic partnerships that are needed to ensure sustainable growth.”
The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) is a non-profit organisation, established on 25 February 2009 to serve and develop the UAE’s publishing industry. Its objectives include developing the UAE’s publishing industry through training courses, improving publishing related regulations and legislation, establishing a limited distribution company for its members, and facilitating cooperation and collaboration with local publishing, printing.
