Taking a significant step towards empowering the publishing industry, Saudi Arabia’s Literature, Publishing & Translation Commission sent a group of 20 publishing houses to London, as part of its transformative ten-day international training programme in the UK.
The programme aimed at furthering development of skills and capabilities to help the publishing companies manage their facilities more successfully. The participating publishers, seen as important drivers of change in society, represented a broad spectrum of the industry – from academic work to children’s books, from architecture to interior design.
The training covered a wide range of essential aspects of the publishing industry, with the participants having opportunities to explore strategies to attract talented writers, delve into market trends and identify marketing techniques, and acquire additional skills to help them flourish in their business. By drawing some of the most prominent and successful international experiences, the training programme gave the Saudi publishers some invaluable insights to help them adapt and continue to thrive in an ever-evolving industry.
The London training offered several key advantages, including the transfer of international expertise and experiences, intensive training on international best practices in publishing, exclusive field visits to renowned publishing houses, and one-on-one consultation sessions with industry experts. The participants also had the unique opportunity to foster relationships between the local and international publishing communities to pave the way for future collaborations and exchange of knowledge.
The commission stated that the programme was a success and an experience that acted as a catalyst for growth and innovation within the publishing sector in Saudi Arabia, which in turn will enhance access to high-quality literary content in the Kingdom.
The Literature, Publishing & Translation Commission was established in February 2020 to systemize the publishing industry in Saudi Arabia. Under the Ministry of Culture, the commission’s purpose is to work towards the goals of Vision 2030 and the Saudi National Culture Strategy. It seeks to enhance sector capabilities and support content production, improve the legislative environment for advancing sector growth, and encourage investments and involvement of the non-profit sector.
