Sharjah to host world’s first booksellers’ conference

SHARJAH: Over 200 booksellers, distributors and publishers from the Middle East, the South Asian subcontinent and African countries will come together in Sharjah for the first-ever Booksellers Conference in the world. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), the conference is a vital new addition to the emirate’s leading efforts to promote the publishing industry locally and regionally.

To be held on the sidelines of the upcoming 13th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), the event will take place over two days from May 15–16 at the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPCFZ).

The two-day event will be headlined by keynote speeches by industry experts and successful owners of book businesses who will highlight the historical role of booksellers in fostering a culture of reading in their communities, among other key topics.

Also featuring keynote addresses by other industry leaders and four panel discussions, the conference has been designed to encourage best practice sharing, and enable an in-depth analysis of current trends across several domains that impact bookselling, namely, digital strategies, stakeholder relationships, stock curation and presentation, customer engagement and new business models. Participants will also have the opportunity to network, present their titles and explore new market opportunities in a series of ‘Matchmaking’ sessions.

Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, said: “It is a mater of pride for Sharjah and SBA to be hosting the first-ever booksellers conference in the world. I’m delighted to see that our collaborative efforts have successfully created an exclusive plaform for booksellers from the region and around the world to network, exchange ideas and expertise and explore new business opportunities.

“Joining our existing offerings of professional programmes for publishers and librarians, this event will also allow booksellers from across the region seek new books for their stores and communities,” he added.

Mansour Al Hassani, Head of Sales Department at SBA, noted: “Sharjah’s leading cultural project turns a new leaf with the debut of the Booksellers Conference. The role played by booksellers is vital to the sustainability and future growth of the publishing industry, and with fast-changing consumer needs, booksellers need to continue updating their skills. This event is poised to provide actionable information useful for both new and experienced stores. We are confident that the conference will offer everything the regional and global bookselling community has come to expect.”