Sheikha Bodur witnesses the new book signing of Dr Raja Al Gurg during the ceremony in Sharjah.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Welcoming over 550 professionals to the 3rd annual Sharjah International Booksellers Conference on Saturday, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), has urged publishers, distributors, and booksellers to stay open and interconnected as the industry faces rapid technological shifts, changing consumer preferences, intense online competition, and economic pressures.

While presenting her opening remarks for the 2-day conference currently underway in Sharjah, Sheikha Bodour stated, “The remarkable success of this conference, despite its young age, speaks volumes about the necessity for specialised platforms where we can come together, listen to each other, and shape a vision for the future.”

The international conference has attracted professionals from around the globe and speaking on the commitment of Sharjah to advancing the global book industry, encompassing bookselling, publishing, distribution, and beyond, the SBA Chairperson asserted, “Look around you: this conference is a microcosm of global collaboration, featuring professionals from Africa, the Arab region, Asia, South America, and Europe. It is this diversity that propels our industry forward, igniting innovation and fostering growth.”

After inaugurating the third edition of the conference, Sheikha Bodour toured the conference’s distributor and publisher pavilions, where she engaged with participants, exploring their initiatives in expanding book distribution, and actively listened to their insights on the current challenges within the publishing and distribution industries. She expressed the importance of collaborative platforms such as the booksellers conference that are able to unite industry professionals, allowing idea exchange, diverse viewpoints, and the development of a collective vision for the future.

The International Booksellers Conference, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), has welcomed more than 550 publishers, distributors, and booksellers from 76 countries, including three new participants from Cambodia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The 2-day event which is featuring 30 esteemed speakers and 30 pavilions and platforms, had a productive and inspiring first day and has reaffirmed its position as a pivotal event in the regional and global publishing calendar.

The first day of the conference was filled with informative workshops and roundtables from morning to evening, covering a wide range of topics such as bookstores in shopping malls, bookstore partnerships, social media strategies, collaboration between distributors, publishers, and bookstores, Europe’s Kultur Pass, community engagement, curating and selling graphic novels, and selling books outside of one’s own shop.

One topic of particular interest was the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the book industry, where discussions acknowledged the challenges through generative content but also the potential of AI to streamline operations, deepen understanding of reader preferences, and maintain a competitive edge.

In another riveting discussion with Andrea Giunti, Executive Vice-President of Giunti Editore, an Italian publishing house renowned for their Giunti Bookstores, the industry leader shared his insights within the booksellers industry. In conversation with Porter Anderson, Giunti emphasised the need for booksellers to stay relevant but that the industry still remains robust, as well as his appreciation for gatherings such as the Sharjah Booksellers Conference.

“It’s an honour to be here in Sharjah and it’s truly heartwarming to see such a gathering to bring booksellers and publishers together, and I must thank Sharjah Book Authority for this opportunity to be here today. From our very first bookstore in 1497, to today, with our 267 stores around Italy, we are deeply ingrained within the culture of reading in Italy, and I am happy to experience another book loving culture that is obvious here in Sharjah. Although there have been challenges in the industry, the tangible and digital formats of the written word are alive and well, as demonstrated by the over 23 million books our company shipped last year alone,” Giunti stated.

PublisHer, an organisation that supports and uplifts women in the publishing industry was a prominent participant at the conference, and hosted a range of engaging activities aimed at empowering female professionals in attendance.

On the main stage and a major highlight of the day, was a discussion with Dr Raja Al Gurg, Chairperson and Managing Director at the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group and successful author, where the conversation focused on women's empowerment and leadership, providing valuable insights and recommendations for fostering gender equality and promoting the advancement of women in various industries including publishing.