UAE seeks stronger ties with Latin American publishers: Sheikha Bodour

Sharjah / WAM

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Honorary President of Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) and Member of the International Publishers Association (IPA)’s Executive Committee, gave a keynote presentation about the publishing industry and the crucial role it plays in enhancing relationships and strengthening ties between Latin America and the Arab world, at the 24th session of Sao Paulo International Book Fair, which started on August 26 and will conclude on September 4.
Sheikha Bodour praised the long history of rapprochement of cultures between Brazil and Latin America on the one hand, and the Arab world on the other, which dates back to the middle of the 19th century.
She noted that Latin American literature is a very important cultural product to the Arab world, with many Latin American writers, novelists and poets attracting considerable attention or Arab readers, intellectuals and publishers, who translated Latin American literary works and published them in various Arab countries.
In her key presentation, Sheikha Bodour highlighted the pioneering achievements of the Emirati publishing industry over the past few years,
which made the UAE a perfect platform for publishers from around the world.
It also appreciated the accomplishments that the EPA has achieved since its inception in 2008, leading the UAE to consolidate its position in the publishing industry and become an attractive destination to publishers and workers in this vital sector.
“The UAE is a strategic hub for companies seeking access to emerging publishing markets in the Arab World as well as Africa and Asia. International publishers are attracted by the UAE’s business friendly benefits, including its proximity to emerging publishing
markets, hosting large international book fairs and providing translation grants and trading rights to international publishers,” Sheikha Bodour said.
Sheikha Bodour also highlighted the growing publishing trade relationship between Latin America and the Arab world, manifested by the
most recent statistics by United
Nations that shows it is approximately worth $1 million
annually.
The export of books to Latin America from the Arab world represents 94 percent of the annual publishing trade. The UAE make up 83 percent of the exports, which is worth $861,650.
“According to these figures, it is clear that there is considerable possibility to increase the volume of imports of books from Latin America to the Arab world, and in return increase the exports of books from the Arab world to Latin America,” she added.