In the presence of Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and President of the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA), the EPA had a meeting yesterday (Tuesday) with the National Media Council (NMC) and the International Publishers Association (IPA) to discuss challenges facing the publishing sector and possible collaboration with NMC to help support the industry’s development and progress.

Held at the headquarters of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the meeting with Dr. Rashid Al Nuaimi, Executive Director of Support Services at the NMC, Ibrahim Ali Khadem, Head of Media Content Department at the NMC and Dr. Michiel Kolman, President of the IPA, focussed on the latest advances in local and regional publishing and highlighted EPA’s milestones and achievements. They discussed a range of ideas and proposals which would continue to contribute to the sector’s progress.

From the EPA, representatives included Vice President, Ali Al Shaali; Treasurer, Mohammad Bin Dukhain; Secretary, Ali Bin Hatem; Board Member, Nooh Al Hammadi; and Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director.

The NMC and EPA representatives discussed NMC’s potential support for the publishing industry through a series of projects and workshops, elevating the status of the sector and enhancing collaboration through a comprehensive professional programme. The programme would educate employees on the use and benefits of a fully integrated office (one stop shop) that will be opened at EPA headquarters to facilitate the procedures of book shipping, printing and distribution authorisation.

In the meeting, Rashid Al Kous highlighted the priorities on extending cooperation and coordination to transform the UAE into a regional and international publishing hub and how working with relevant partners would help local publishing to contribute to social, cultural and economic development in the UAE.

The meeting touched on the need to develop a legal framework for the publishing sector, improve the diversity and quality of Arabic content and enhance high quality Arabic learning materials. It also explored ways to support libraries and equip them with modern tools to adapt to the digital era and develop the skills of creative industries to encourage cultural dialogue.

Al Kous stressed the need to turn vision into action and indicated that working on these key topics requires forging full partnerships between government authorities, civil society and the private sector in order to drive local publishing to greater heights. He highlighted EPA’s remit to press ahead with efforts to make the UAE an Arab publishing centre and attract regional and international companies to invest in the UAE’s flourishing publishing market.

EPA was founded in 2009 with a view to serving and developing the publishing sector in the UAE and to advancing the role of Emirati publishers through the provision of training and mentorship programmes. The association represents the interests of professionals in the UAE’s publishing industry by working on advancing their rights and has a remit to improve the conditions of the profession and the laws that regulate its coordination with concerned authorities locally and internationally.