Emirates Publishers Association (EPA), has worked tirelessly to nurture the local publishing sector, paying special attention to boosting their local and international presence. Their latest initiative ‘Manassah’ in partnership with Tilal Properties, is a showcasing platform, which aims to facilitate the EPA membership’s representation in the UAE and beyond by way of offering their titles with unique visibility at important book fairs.
Publishers in turn, have voiced their appreciation of EPA and its continuous efforts to nurture and support the publishing sector. They also highlighted the importance of the ‘Manassah’ platform in assisting local/Emirati publishers reach international markets.
Dr.Rashid Al Mazroui, an Emirati who founded Dar Al Turath Al Shaabi (Home of Islamic Heritage) in 2017, focuses on Emirati, GCC and Arab heritage through its titles. Talking about his experience he said, “We are the first non-governmental Emirati publishing house focused on local heritage. So far, we have released more than 13 titles to preserve and share our heritage with the rest of the world. Due to the infancy of this project, we have not been able to participate in regional or international publishing events. The ‘Manassah’ platform is a promising initiative that will assist us get the exposure that will help take our business internationally.”
Manassah came to life as a response to an exponential growth in the local publishing sector that was represented by a massive influx of entrepreneurs into the industry. Children’s literature writer Nour Arab launched her publishing business at Sharjah Publishing City in 2018. Talking about her limitations and how this platform has proved to be useful, she says, “Due to the infancy of Nour Publishing, we only took part in local events like the Sharjah International Book Fair. Our catalogue contains 30 titles in different genres including children literature, sci-fi and interactive educational offerings in Arabic and English.”
She further added, “Through this initiative, we were able to take part in Casablanca Book Fair and now we are in Muscat. Soon, we will be at the Al Riyadh Book Fair. Manassah initiative has helped us extend our reach in regional markets and introduce our titles to a wider audience. EPA has done an outstanding job in keeping local publishers informed about various events; this helps us position our offerings as per the event’s needs.”
While high production costs, severely limited the number of titles produced, additional costs like transport and accommodation during the International Book Fairs, further hindered participation. Thus, the EPA felt the need to promote its members, especially startups, by providing them with exposure and networking opportunities, so that they could grow their businesses.
Mohammed Al Hafiti who started Dar Al Saqr Publishing & Distribution in 2014, has been a beneficiary of the numerous programmes and initiatives of EPA. He says, “EPA has been a driving force in boosting the local publishing scene. The fruits of their work are evident in the massive growth of the sector in recent years, despite the huge local and global challenges.”
Dar Al Saqr is focused on publishing and promoting Emirati and children’s literature. He further said, “Manassah will be our gateway to international markets and publishers; it will help us build bridges and expand our businesses.” Since its launch, Manassah has already offered local publishers the opportunity to be represented at international book fairs, covering the most important ones in the Arab world. These include the Casablanca International Book Fair 2019 which was held between February 7-17 in Morocco, and the Muscat Book Fair 2019 which runs between February 21-March 2.
Coinciding with the launch of Manassah, EPA in partnership with the National Media Council (NMC) has also launched an integrated information and services centre for publishers at EPA’s premises – the One Stop Shop. This new feature will allow publishers easy access to avail NMC’s print permissions, print licenses and other facilities.
Founded in 2009, EPA is dedicated to serving and developing the local publishing sector as well as advancing the role of Emirati publishers through training and mentoring programmes that help raise efficiency. EPA represents the interests of professionals in the UAE’s publishing industry by furthering their rights and improving the conditions of their profession. The publishers’ association also troubleshoots and works around related laws, in cooperation with competent authorities in the UAE and beyond.
