Sheikha Bodour during her meeting with members of the Turkish Publishers Association.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), has hailed the dedication and commitment of publishers in Turkey for strengthening collaboration and solidarity amongst all members.

She urged them to move forward with hope and optimism while creating productive partnerships to enhance the collective growth potential of the industry.

The IPA President’s encouragement came during her opening address to global publishing professionals at the three-day Istanbul Publishing Fellowship Program.

Discussing the growth in stature and size of the programme over the years, she noted that the collaborative approach – between key Turkish industry stakeholders, publishers and associations around the world – was crucial to the programme’s success and made it an excellent model for publishing events everywhere.

Bodour also lauded publishers for making sure that books reach their readers without disruption, despite the complexities and challenges they have endured since the onset of the pandemic and reiterated the need for solidarity to tackle global challenges.

In her meetings with members of the Turkish Publishers Association, Bodour urged publishers worldwide to take advantage of the upskilling and capacity-building opportunities offered under the newly launched IPA Academy and to bridge the gaps fuelled by the pandemic-driven digital acceleration. She noted that the IPA has created world-class educational material for the Academy in collaboration with New York University (USA), Oxford Brookes University (UK) and the Publishing Training Centre (UK), giving members access to courses and online seminars that offer crucial support for publishers as they navigate and emerge stronger and ready for a new phase of growth.

Repeating the need for solidarity and cooperation to take the industry forward, she said that the five priorities of copyright, freedom to publish, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and technology and innovation, discussed at the recently concluded International Sustainable Publishing and Industry Resilience (InSPIRe) Symposium, are essential to future-proof publishing and build a more sustainable and collaborative global book ecosystem.

According to statistics in the latest ‘Turkey Book Market Report’ published by the Turkish Publishers Association, the country ranks sixth globally in publishing, having published 68,554 new books in 2019 of the total 423 million books that were published that year.

A recent report says the UAE witnessed the official launch of the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association (ERRA), a first-of-its-kind association in the region. The launch aligns with the UAE’s mandate to protect copyrights of content creators and safeguard the rights of authors and publishers through appropriate laws and legislations.

The launch ceremony, at the House of Wisdom (HoW) in Sharjah, was held in the presence of Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA) and Honorary President of ERRA; Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth; and Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, and high-level officials representing various entities in the publishing sector.

In her opening address at the launch ceremony, Bodour Al Qasimi said: “We are proud to launch the pioneering Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, a first-of-its kind initiative in the region that bolsters the position and role of the UAE in stimulating and encouraging creative industries as a fundamental pillar of the modern economy. The launch also reflects the growing dependence on intangible assets or intellectual capital as exemplified by the rapid expansion of the cultural and creative industries in the UAE’s digital economy.”

Bodour Al Qasimi stressed that the establishment of ERRA is a major step in the right direction and gives a clear signal that the UAE spares no efforts in protecting the copyrights of authors and publishers.

STRENGTHENING KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY: On his part, Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, said: “We thank Bodour Al Qasimi for establishing and launching this association, and for her ongoing efforts and pioneering initiatives that foster the development of knowledge, culture and creative environment in Sharjah and the UAE. Under the forward-looking vision of the wise leadership, the UAE has focused on building a knowledge-based economy and is developing its legislative ecosystem to create the best society and economy, as well as become the best destination for trade, businesses, investments, talents and creative people.”