Bodour wants stronger presence of Emirati literature in the world

Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), chaired a board meeting attended by board members and senior executives to review the Authority’s 2025–2028 Digital Transformation Roadmap, discuss the expansion of its international participation programme across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, and assess progress on strategic projects aimed at strengthening the publishing sector’s readiness for rapid global industry shifts.

Opening the meeting, Her Highness said Sharjah’s cultural project, led by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, is focused on building a sustainable knowledge industry and strengthening the global presence of Arab culture through investment in books, translation, publishing and international partnerships.

Her Highness said: “The publishing industry is evolving rapidly, requiring new tools that expand access to knowledge and strengthen the presence of Emirati and Arab literature in global markets. At SBA, our role goes beyond organising cultural events. We are building an integrated ecosystem that supports writers, publishers and translators, while creating wider opportunities for Arabic content to reach global audiences.” The meeting was attended by board members Sheikh Majid Al Mualla; Ahmed Al Ameri; Abdelaziz Al Musallam; Rashid Al Kous; Marwa Al Aqroubi, Dr Sultan Al Ameemi, Fahad Al Mamari, and Abdulaziz Taryam, alongside Gaurav Shrinagesh, John Ingram, Markus Dohle, and Majd Al Shehhi.

Dignitaries at the event.

Digital transformation for enhanced services

Discussions covered the Authority’s 2025–2028 Digital Transformation Roadmap, a key strategic pillar in developing its operational ecosystem. The roadmap includes enhancing visitor and publisher experiences, launching dedicated publishing and business service platforms, developing smart tools for data and professional relationship management, and advancing audiobook publishing and Arabic digital library projects.

Attendees of the board meeting also discussed the role of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence in advancing the publishing industry, enhancing the experience of readers and publishers, and building more sustainable models for the knowledge economy, while stressing the importance of balancing technological advancement with the quality of cultural and knowledge-based content.

International participation and preparations

The Authority’s international participation programme was also reviewed, highlighting a strong presence at book fairs and cultural events across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Discussions covered preparations for Sharjah’s participation as Guest of Honour at the 2026 Warsaw International Book Fair, which will bring together more than 21 UAE cultural institutions and 35 Emirati writers and creatives as part of an integrated cultural programme.

Board members also reviewed the outcome of the 44th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair, which welcomed 1,400,730 visitors from 206 countries and featured publishers and cultural institutions from 118 countries, making it one of the largest editions in the fair’s history. Discussions also covered the Sharjah Festival of African Literature, the Arabic Language Festival in Milan, and the Authority’s international cultural programme at global book fairs.

Updates were also shared on the Authority’s projects and on the Sharjah Publishing City (SPC) Free Zone's efforts to expand international relations with global publishing markets. Discussions reviewed the outcome of the India Roadshow organised by the SPC to strengthen its international presence. The event brought together more than 190 Indian publishing houses. It also generated over 120 networking and collaborative opportunities with publishers and cultural institutions, supporting new partnerships in translation, rights and co-publishing with one of the world’s largest knowledge industries.

Among the Authority’s key achievements during the past period was the organisation of the Publishers Conference, which attracted 1,604 participants from 116 countries, alongside more than 2,098 applications for the 2025 Translation Grant, reinforcing Sharjah’s position as an international hub for translation support and literary rights exchange.

Updates were also shared on the Sharjah Literary Agency, which secured several new international rights agreements and represented Arab authors at major international book fairs and cultural platforms. The agency is also developing projects to adapt literary works into visual productions, films and animated content, expanding the reach of Arab literature to new audiences and markets.

Board members also discussed professional initiatives through which the Authority supports the publishing industry and develops markets for books, including its partnership with Big Bad Wolf.

Concluding the meeting, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi praised the efforts of the Authority’s teams and board members.