Duing their participation at the ongoing 40th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) has unveiled the logo, vision and brand identity of the Menassah Distribution Company, which was announced earlier in May fllowing the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to boost the entry of UAE publishers into regional and international markets.
According to the vision statement EPA has released for Menassah, it seeks to position the distribution company as the leading provider of Arabic language books in the region. The company will boost the culture of readership in the Arab world and internationally, reinforcing the vision of Sharjah’s cultural project to strengthen the UAE’s foundations of knowledge, particlary in terms of making books and other educational materials more readily availbe and accessible to all.
The new company will also provide integrated services to writers, and publishers in the UAE and the Arab world, encompassing editing, design, marketing, production and distribution.
According to EPA, Menassah begin its distribution activities in the UAE first through bookstores, exhibitions and online platforms. The company will charge its clients a nominal fee to reduce their local and international distribution costs.
Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of EPA, said: “We thank His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah’s continued support to the publishing industry through pioneering directives, including this one that led to the establishment of the Menassah Distribution Company, which places the emirate at the forefront of countries supporting the sector."
He added: "We aim to provide book distribution services locally before scaling up our operations to the regional level. Very soon, we will be going global to position EPA as a key player in international book distribution, and to support Sharjah in its endeavour to innovate solutions that ensure the sustainability of the publishing sector.”
Founded in 2009, the EPA is dedicated to developing the publishing sector and representing the interests of professionals in the UAE and beyond. It promotes UAE's cultural achievements across the Arab world and globally. It also hosts, organises and takes part in regional and international conferences, exhibitions and book fairs.