Publishing’s future belongs to those who bridge continents: Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi charts a course through disruption

At the Sharjah International Publishers Conference, the Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority speaks of solidarity across borders and the industry's proven capacity to remake itself when challenged.

The most resilient industries are not those that resist change, but those that understand it as conversation. This is the conviction that animates the 16th annual Sharjah International Publishers Conference, where over 1,400 publishers from 126 countries have gathered at Expo Centre Sharjah to examine what comes next for an industry in transformation.

H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, opened the three-day gathering with a vision rooted not in fortress thinking, but in connection. “Our industry’s true resilience lies in cross-border solidarity,” she told the assembled guests. “A challenge keeping a publisher awake in one corner of the world has often found a creative answer in another.”

This principle has guided the region’s cultural institutions as they have navigated waves of technological upheaval. As we reported in October, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi inaugurated the fourth Sharjah Animation and Comics Conference, bringing together over 70 international artists to explore how creative industries adapt and thrive. That same spirit of cross-disciplinary resilience suffuses the publishers’ conference, where conversations range from artificial intelligence’s role in editing and discovery to the enduring strength of print and the resurgence of independent bookstores.

The conference itself speaks to this philosophy. Ahmed bin Saud Al Rawahi, Director of the Muscat International Book Fair, delivered the Sultanate of Oman’s opening address, noting that the real challenge lies not in resisting technology but in guiding it towards knowledge and creativity. “The responsibility around creative authenticity, authors’ rights, intellectual property and the credibility of content has never been greater,” he observed, tracing Oman’s publishing heritage from 19th century manuscripts to today’s digital transformation.

Sanyu Dillon, President of the Random House Group at Penguin Random House in the United States, echoed this optimism, pointing to the historical pattern whereby industry disruptions have given way to growth. She emphasised that personal recommendation remains publishing’s most potent force, even as its vectors have shifted from booksellers and friends to digital creators and influencers. Understanding not what to sell but what readers truly seek—whether knowledge, escape or both—has become the publisher’s essential skill.

The conference’s opening ceremony also honoured innovation through the Sharjah Publishing Sustainability Fund (Onshur), which selected KlooBR, an AI-powered solutions company operating in Portugal and Brazil, as the winner of its ‘Disrupt Track’ competition. From 94 applications spanning 17 countries, the Sharjah Book Authority recognised KlooBR’s potential and will make a strategic investment to support its establishment in the emirate, exemplifying how the region channels emerging talent into its institutions.

Over three days, 30 roundtables have explored everything from audiobook production and small publishing house development to expansion into Asian and Latin American markets. The conference extends beyond formal sessions: the PublisHer Lounge programme continues across all three days, offering mentoring from women leaders in publishing alongside practical workshops in digital platforms and professional relationship building.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi’s opening remarks struck a note that resonates beyond publishing. “Every time this industry has been challenged, publishers have not simply survived. They have adapted, reimagined their craft, and built new bridges to their readers. The industry will do it again, together.”

What it means for Abu Dhabi

The Sharjah International Publishers Conference represents a significant moment in the region’s cultural and economic evolution. With 1,433 publishers from 126 countries convening under the umbrella of the Sharjah Book Authority, the emirate continues to position itself as a nexus for the global book industry. This gathering of international expertise creates opportunities for knowledge exchange and collaboration that benefit the broader UAE cultural ecosystem, reinforcing the region’s standing as a destination for creative professionals and innovative enterprises.

For Abu Dhabi specifically, the conference underscores the interconnected nature of the region’s cultural initiatives. As we noted when Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi brought the Horouf & Kalimat Early Childhood Literacy Conference to Abu Dhabi in October, the leadership’s commitment to literary and educational advancement spans emirate boundaries. The publishers’ conference’s focus on artificial intelligence, translation rights, and market expansion provides frameworks and insights that inform literacy initiatives and educational policy across the UAE, creating a coherent vision for how the region cultivates readers, creators and cultural ambassadors for decades to come.

Source: WAM