Sheikh Sultan made books part of people's lives, says Sheikha Bodour

Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), chaired the Authority's seventh Board of Directors meeting, held during the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2026), to review key achievements in international cultural partnerships, publishing industry development and digital transformation, and discuss priorities for the next phase of work to strengthen Sharjah's position as a global centre for books, culture and knowledge.

The board discussed ways to expand Sharjah's presence in international publishing markets, support emerging businesses, and invest in book-industry technologies.

Discussions also covered improving market analysis tools, enhancing the efficiency of digital services and developing initiatives to make books and reading a greater part of everyday life, while creating new opportunities for publishers, creators and the cultural industries.

The meeting was attended in person by Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA; Abdulla Al Owais; Abdulaziz Al Musallam; Dr Sultan Al Ameemi; Rashed Al Kous; Marwa Al Aqroubi; Majd Al Shehhi; Abdelaziz Taryam; Fahd Al Memari; Gaurav Shrinagesh; while Youngsuk ‘YS’ Chi, John Ingram and Markus Dohle participated remotely.

Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi

During the meeting, Sheikha Bodour stressed that the cultural vision of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, was built on developing an integrated ecosystem that makes culture, books and knowledge part of society's life and future, extending beyond any single event or project.

Bodour Al Qasimi said: “Over the years, this ecosystem has continued to expand, from supporting reading and publishing to building international partnerships, creating new opportunities for creators and publishers, and connecting Sharjah more deeply with the global cultural landscape.”

“Today, we see the results of this work in Sharjah's growing international presence, its ability to bring together publishers, creators and cultural institutions from around the world, and the trust it has earned as a place for dialogue, exchange and building partnerships,” Her Highness added:

Emphasising the importance of sustaining this progress, she said: “Our responsibility at Sharjah Book Authority is to maintain this momentum, continue developing this ecosystem, and provide new opportunities and experiences that make culture and books a greater part of people's lives and enable them to reach new generations.”

International partnerships and expansion into publishing markets

During the meeting, Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, presented the Authority's key achievements and priorities in international cooperation, publishing industry development and digital transformation.

The board reviewed the outcomes of Sharjah's participation as Guest of Honour at the Warsaw International Book Fair in May 2026, which included 35 cultural events, 28 panel discussions, and 18 musical performances, as well as the translation of six Emirati titles into Polish.

As part of efforts to expand commercial and professional partnerships, the board discussed the exclusive partnership with Malaysian bookseller BookXcess, which grants Big Bad Wolf Sharjah (BBW Sharjah) development rights across markets in the Middle East and Africa.

Performance figures presented at the meeting showed that the Sharjah International Booksellers Conference attracted 946 registrants from 99 countries and hosted 424 professional meetings.

Abdelaziz Taryam and Abdulaziz Al Musallam during the meeting.

Meanwhile, the Sharjah International Publishers Conference 2026 brought together 1,888 publishers from 126 countries, compared with 1,604 publishers from 116 countries in 2025. The conference hosted 7,980 meetings for the trading of publishing and translation rights, an increase of more than 140% over the previous year, helping SIBF retain its position as the world's largest book fair for the buying and selling of copyrights for the sixth consecutive year.

The fourth Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference (SACC) recorded 8,075 visits, up 47% from the previous edition. The board also reviewed developments at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair.

Onshur expands from publisher development to technology investment

Discussions covered developments at the Sharjah Publishing Sustainability Fund (Onshur), which continues to support emerging businesses and develop the capabilities of publishing industry professionals. The fund's innovation track is moving towards direct investment in promising publishing technology companies, expanding SBA's support beyond training and capacity-building to technological solutions that can advance the industry and strengthen its competitiveness.

The meeting also examined opportunities to improve sales-tracking tools and market data analysis to understand better publishing-industry trends and the needs of publishers and readers, while supporting a more integrated and efficient ecosystem of services for the book and creative industries.