EPA opens new horizons for UAE publishers at 2 book fairs

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Young visitors at the ongoing Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) are enthralled by a number of educational activities besides discovering more than colourful bookshelves and vivid storytelling corners.

Besides these, the students and visitors are also delighted to meet the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA), the driving force behind a vibrant home-grown publishing scene that promotes Emirati voices.

The EPA continues its drive to propel the UAE’s publishing industry to ever-wider horizons, intensifying its ongoing efforts to support its members by maintaining a strategic presence at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival and the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2025 – two of the region’s, and indeed the world’s, premier cultural events.

This participation forms part of the Association’s strategy to empower Emirati publishers and open new pathways for literary and knowledge-based creativity.

Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association, said: “Our participation in these major events underscores our commitment to keeping pace with the transformations sweeping the publishing sector and to enabling Emirati publishers to build a sustainable, competitive presence regionally and internationally.

“We believe that knowledge exchange and cross-cultural partnerships are the keys to a resilient, ever-evolving publishing industry.

“Through these forums we aim to expand our members’ professional networks and elevate the standing of Emirati publishing on the global knowledge stage.”

The Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, which began on April 23 and runs until May 4, 2025, features a distinctive EPA pavilion that showcases the Association’s services, programmes and initiatives dedicated to supporting children’s and young-adult publishing. By means of this presence, the Association seeks to strengthen its direct engagement with members, interact with readers and publishing enthusiasts, and introduce prospective publishers to the benefits of joining the UAE’s publishing community.

The EPA’s programme at the Festival also comprises a range of creative activities designed to nurture a lifelong love of reading and to deepen children’s relationship with books from an early age.

Meanwhile, at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair- held from April 26 April to May 5, 2025 - the Association is organising a series of panel discussions and specialised events, several of which Rashid Al Kous will partake in.

This rich agenda will spotlight the future of Emirati publishing, encourage cultural dialogue and facilitate partnerships.

Among these activities is a cultural session on April 27, organised by the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, during which Ali Bin Hatem and Bassam Chebaro, two prominent figures in Arab publishing, will be honoured.

The Emirates Publishers Association will participate in the session and engage in the dialogue. This event highlights the Fair’s commitment to celebrating those who have shaped the Arab publishing landscape and fostering a culture of appreciation for outstanding contributions.

The Association is also convening a Rights-and-Translation networking meeting that brings together Emirati publishers and their counterparts from Central Asia in cooperation with the Nomad Cultural Foundation, furthering the EPA’s goal of forging cross-border partnerships that broaden markets and facilitate knowledge exchange.

The programme additionally features a session entitled “Digitising Creativity - The Dawn of a New Era,” led by EPA member and publisher Amira Boukadra, as well as participation in a panel organised by the Ministry of Culture and Youth to discuss the opportunities available through funding programmes and cultural funds to support and empower writers, authors, researchers and publishers across the UAE, reflecting the Association’s focus on providing practical and financial support to industry professionals and its vision of strengthening every component of the publishing ecosystem.

Speakers will outline the programmes and initiatives offered by their respective organisations, together with the eligibility conditions, evaluation criteria and target beneficiary groups.

The session will also consider proposed mechanisms and recommendations designed to enhance coordination and integration among the various funding schemes and grants made available to creatives and publishers nationwide.