Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Book Authority, called on publishers, distributors and booksellers in the region and the world to enhance communication and cooperation to overcome the challenges facing the publishing and distribution industry, such as rapid technological developments, changing consumer requirements, great competition on the Internet, economic pressures, and others.
This came on the opening day of the third session of the “International Distributors Conference”, organized by the Sharjah Book Authority at the Expo Center in Sharjah on Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28, where Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi stressed in her speech that “the success of the conference confirms the importance of specialized platforms that bring together all workers in the distribution sector.” And publishing, and gives them the opportunity to exchange ideas, listen to diverse points of view, and form an integrated vision for the future.”
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi stressed that the conference attracted an elite group of experts from all over the world, noting that this success embodies Sharjah’s commitment to developing the global book industry, which includes publishing, distribution, sales and other fields. She added: “If we look carefully, we will find that this conference constitutes a model of cooperation on The global level includes experts from Arab countries, Africa, South America and Europe, and this diversity is what drives the publishing and distribution industry, enhances innovation, and consolidates growth.”
After the opening of the first day of the third session of the International Distributors Conference, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi toured the platforms of the distributors and publishers participating in the conference, where she looked at their work, discussed with them the innovations they are practicing in distributing books on the largest scale, and listened to their opinions about the challenges facing the publishing and distribution industry in this era. the talk. Sheikha Bodour stressed the importance of platforms that bring together all workers in the distribution and publishing sector, which provide them with the opportunity to exchange ideas, listen to diverse viewpoints, and form an integrated vision for the future.
550 participants from 76 countries
The International Distributors Conference brings together more than 550 distributors and publishers from 76 countries, including several countries participating for the first time, including Cambodia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The conference also hosts 30 speakers and includes 30 pavilions and platforms.
A diverse program for those working in the publishing industry
The opening day of the conference witnessed a variety of workshops, seminars, forums, and discussion and dialogue sessions, which covered a wide range of topics, including book stores in malls, book store partnerships, social media strategies, cooperation between distributors, publishers, and book store owners, and the “Culture Pass” initiative. European organization to promote young adult culture, community interaction, publishing and distributing graphic novels, and selling books outside bookstores.
The topic of the impact of artificial intelligence on the book industry received special attention, as discussions delved into the challenges of “generative artificial intelligence,” which is one of the types of machine learning models, and at the same time addressed the potential of artificial intelligence and its ability to facilitate operations, enhance understanding of the trends and genres preferred by readers, and maintain competitive advantage.
Embracing positive change and keeping pace with modern trends
In a discussion session moderated by Porter Andreessen, Andrea Giunti, Executive Vice President of Giunti Editore, the prestigious Italian publishing house responsible for the chain of libraries and bookstores, shared his thoughts and visions on the importance of adopting positive change and keeping pace with modern trends in the book industry, stressing the importance of the survival of distributors and sellers. Books are informed about developments in the book industry, to understand and meet the needs of consumers.
Gonti pointed to the diffusion strategy pursued by the “Ginti Eduttori” company, such that it has branches throughout Italy, stressing that this is an important strategy for the success of the distribution policy, and confirming the presence of the publisher in every place where readers are present, even if the distribution rate varies according to several considerations, including the number of residents. Social status and others. Speaking about competition, he said: “I believe that competition makes us better, and the presence of competitors for the distributor motivates him to always excel.”
Andrea pointed out that readers are one of the most important channels of distribution and book marketing that a successful distributor relies on. They represent a basis for marketing a good book that imposes itself without the distributor bearing financial burdens. People have the ability to publish by nature, and they speak spontaneously about their experiences in what they read and prefer.
Empowering women in the publishing industry
The list of participants in the conference included the PublisHer initiative, which is concerned with supporting and empowering women working in the publishing industry. The initiative hosted a group of activities and events aimed at empowering female experts participating in the conference.
The activities of the “Public Hair” initiative included a discussion session on the main stage with writer Dr. Rajaa Al Gurg, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Managing Director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, in which she focused on empowering women and enhancing their leadership capabilities, and provided valuable insights and recommendations to establish justice and equal opportunities, and enhance the progress of women in the various creative industries, which Includes the publishing industry.
The “Publish Hair” hall participating in the conference provided a full range of opportunities for male and female participants, including special individual guidance sessions with leaders in the publishing industry and writers, including Sarah Arbuthnet, Nadia Wasif, and Sandra Tamili, who provided valuable advice and guidance to enhance professional growth.
The hall witnessed a workshop presented by Dalia Jarrar, which focused on preparing professional profiles on the LinkedIn platform with the aim of advancing the career path, while Eleni Babilia presented a session during which she reviewed the tools and guidelines necessary to build personal brands and improve communication strategies. The attendees also benefited from a session on professional appearance with Heidi Shara Armstrong. and Celia-Jane Oquinya, and the opportunity to obtain professional, high-quality photographs, taken by international photography expert Danka Holzerova, to use in their professional files.
An exceptional success on the opening day
The first day of the conference concluded its activities with a networking session that allowed attendees to interact with colleagues working in various markets, share unique ideas and visions, and learn and benefit from rich experiences and expertise.
With the launch of its third session, the International Distributors Conference continues to strengthen its role and position as a platform that brings together book industry experts from all over the world to discuss challenges and review opportunities in the publishing and distribution sector. The conference’s focus on cooperation and innovation also contributes to ensuring its importance as a leading platform for shaping the future of the distribution and publishing sector.
#Bilad #newspaper #Bodour #Qasimi #calls #distributors #publishers #communicate #cooperate