The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) has concluded a key engagement in Frankfurter Bushmesse 2021, where it facilitatetd the participation of four homegrown publishers from the UAE, namely, Al Fulk Publishing and Translation, Kalimat Group, Al Hudhud Publishing House, and Thaqafa Publishing and distribution.
For participating publishers in the EPA delegation, this came as an opportunity to network extensively, forge new commercial and cultural connections with global industry stakeholders, and enjoy representation at the 73rd edition of the world’s largest book fair, which was held under the theme 'Re:connect' after a yearlong hiatus it underwent due to the global Covid-19.
The EPA delegation held meetings with 24 international institutions, top publishers like the Neilsen Group, and book fair organisers of the Bologna Children's Book Fair, Guadalajara International Book Fair, China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair, International Istanbul Book Fair, and Beijing International Book Fair.
They participated in insightful exchanges and discussed collaboration opportunities with publishers from countries across the world including Turkey, UK, Wales, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belgium, France, Japan, Taiwan, India, USA, Canada, and China.
EPA's participation in upcoming book fairs, collaboration particularly in the fields of translation and rights exchange, and bolstering partnerships and expertise were among the key discussion highlights.
Rashid Al Kous, CEO of EPA, said: "The association's participation in the Frankfurter Buchmesse this year was extremely successful. We presented to a diverse group of international publishers and institutions the unique journey of the UAE in supporting the publishing sector and the incentives and advanced services we offer."
He added: “The EPA is committed to showcase the outstanding output of Emirati publishers through the collective stand at the events we participate in. The meetings we held at Frankfurter Buchmesse 2021 served to convey our keen interest in taking part in upcoming book fairs and allied events. We also discussed partnership opportunities between Emirati publishers and their international counterparts.”