This year, the cultural event designed for children in the region will shape young minds with 1,732 activities designed to foster a love of reading, offer a platform to those involved in children’s literature to develop creative content and elevate the children’s book industry both in the Arab world and globally.

This year’s cultural extravaganza brings together 457 guests, including artists, writers, illustrators, experts, and influencers who will lead engaging activities and workshops as well as unveil their latest works.

Visitors can explore the latest releases from the children’s book fair, which brings together 141 publishers in the children’s literature sector, offering content ranging from novels to educational books and creative genres.

Children and youth will have the opportunity to explore the world of comics through more than 323 activities, including workshops, panel discussions, and a series of roaming shows led by 15 creatives from 4 countries. The most prominent activities at the corner include Acro Adventures and Ninja Tests, in addition to workshops and interactive activities showcasing 35 local talents and their works.

SCRF 2023 will stage 21 panel discussions hosting 68 guests from 21 Arab and foreign countries. The diverse cultural agenda includes ‘The Importance of Developing Emotional Intelligence Skills at Young Age’, which will host speakers Dr. Maya Alhuwi from the UAE, Lorca Sbeity from Lebanon, and Canadian Dr Louise Lambert.

Another panel discussion on the agenda is ‘The Link Between Artificial Intelligence (AI), Education Curricula, and Children’s Books’, which brings together Dr. Karima Matar Almazroui from the UAE, Egyptian author Amal Farah; and from the UK, Ross Welford. Meanwhile, authors, including Dr. Haitham Al Khawaja from Syria, Roysten Abel from India, and Sharifa Mousa from the UAE, will be speakers in the panel discussion titled ‘Implementing Theatre Studies in Educational Curricula’.

The 12-day festival will be home to 946 events led by 25 guests from 10 countries, including various workshops for children covering arts, sports, science, and technology. The festival will also host 136 theatre performances, roaming shows, acrobat and music concerts led by 16 guests from 16 countries.

The most notable activities include the children’s play “Alone at Home,” produced by SBA. The fun-filled play will run at 7:30 pm on May 12 and 13 and at 6 pm on the 14th, while the comedy play Akbar the Great Nahi Rahe will be held at 4 pm on May 7, and the children’s show Masaka Kids Africana which again highlights the attention to diversity by the festival.

The Social Media Station will be home to 72 activities led by influencers and content creators, including Wessam Qutob, Chef Faisal Al Khalidi, Azza Al Mughairy and Jamal Al Mulla, who will shine light on the latest techniques for creating content on digital platforms and developing suitable content for target audiences.

The informative session featured Mark Thornton from “Bookshop.org”, Sara Dennis from “Mostly Books” and “Borzoi Bookshop”, and Jo Coldwell from “Red Lion Books,” and was presented during the first day of the International Booksellers Conference, which is having its second edition at Sharjah Expo Centre, after a successful inaugural event last year.

Mark Thornton is the Bookshop Partnership Manager for Bookshop.org, an ecommerce platform designed to help physical bookshops. With over 550 independent bookshops on the platform, Thornton is responsible for supporting and promoting them, including running online events to enhance booksellers’ sales and digital skills.

Thornton revealed one of the ways their platform supports the industry saying, “Bookshop.org gives 10% of our sales through non-booksellers to a dedicated ‘shared pool’ which ultimately goes back to independent booksellers, and all sales on the platform are carbon neutral, meeting our sustainable goals.” The platform has won several awards, including Best for the World as a certified B corporation. In the US, the platform has helped independent booksellers earn over $25 million, and in the UK, over £2.8 million.

The platform is designed to meet the challenge of the long-term trend in online purchases, with 35% of online purchases starting on Google, 25-35% of sales generated through emails and newsletters, and 49% of purchases produced through social media. Advising businesses entering the online world, Thornton stated, “Be authentic and use original content, be sustainable and offer multiple buying options, and be flexible.”

Jo Coldwell, who manages the day-to-day running of the award-winning Red Lion Books, discussed the importance of book clubs and fostering a love of reading within the community. She believes that booksellers should continually adapt in their practices but not forget the reasons they got into the industry.

Expanding on this, Coldwell stated, “As booksellers, we need to make decisions about our businesses and practices on a daily basis to keep ahead of an ever-changing world. Having a strong digital footprint ironically gives me the resources and energy to focus on what I truly love, connecting directly with people and providing them with quality reading material.”

Sara Dennis, the owner of two award-winning independent bookshops “Mostly Books” and “Borzoi Bookshop,” stressed the significance of creating a distinctive customer experience and building strong relationships with customers. According to her, “Each individual bookshop has its unique selling points, atmosphere, and communities.” She also acknowledged the importance of social media and its benefits in reaching new customers and showcasing the personality of the shop. However, she believes that the best way to connect with customers is still through in-person interactions at the physical store.

In response to the pandemic, Sara Dennis emphasised the significance of community support for local bookstores. While online sales have increased, she still observed the strength of the local bookstore community, where customers chose to buy from independent bookstores instead of cheaper online alternatives. She also highlighted their online book club as a means of strengthening their community and providing another interface for customers.

The International Booksellers Conference is an impactful initiative by the Sharjah Book Authority and aims to promote and support the book industry in the region by bringing together leading professionals and publishing houses from around the world to share their expertise and knowledge. The conference runs from May 1st to May 2nd at the Expo Centre Sharjah and has already proven to be of great value to all in attendance.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi stated: “One trend that needs our immediate attention is sustainability, most importantly the impact of the book industry on the environment. It is also an opportunity to raise discussions on the book industry‘s sustainability and propose initiatives that could radically change the way we produce and distribute books, while at the same time giving us the opportunity to lead this change and be part of the process. No single publisher or bookseller or stakeholder from our ecosystem can face this challenge alone, which is why collaboration is more critical now than ever.”

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, emphasised the importance of collaboration and innovation in the book industry and the need for the industry to address sustainability and effects of the industry on the environment, also discussing the growing trend of generative artificial intelligence and its potential to bring radical changes to the way books are written, published, and consumed.

The Kalimat Group CEO and Founder, and Immediate Past President of International Publishers Association, stressed the importance of staying ahead of the curve and finding ways to strengthen the industry and its processes, as well as unleashing the creative power within teams and inviting thought-leaders from different sectors to help the industry look at things differently. Emphasising the need to challenge biases in order to continuously learn and evolve, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi left the audience with an impactful and motivational message, saying, “I truly believe that we are at a historic moment in our industry, and through consistent collaboration, our ability to innovate and re-imagine our industry will help transform these challenges into opportunities.”

During his opening speech at the conference, Ahmed Al Amiri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, highlighted the commitment of the Emirate of Sharjah to supporting and promoting the book industry both regionally and globally thanks to the visionary leadership and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. Al Amiri emphasised the significance of the challenges facing the publishing and creative industries and how these challenges could become opportunities. He encouraged collaboration between publishers and distributors from all over the world and stressed the importance of effective communication between all stakeholders in the industry.

Al Amiri also expressed his hope for fruitful discussions and successful outcomes at the conference. Expanding on this, the Chairman stated, “We recognize the significance of the role of booksellers and are fully aware of the main challenges hindering the development of your businesses… As such, we have organised this Booksellers Conference not only as a platform for dialogue and discussion but also as an excellent opportunity to present solutions, implement and support them, and transform successful experiences in this sector into practical lessons to learn from.”

In a quest to uncover new opportunities, untangle complex issues, and chart a path for the future, the two-day event — a first-of-its-kind in the region, hosting more than 400 booksellers and distributors from 69 countries — is committed to enriching the publishing industry. With a goal to spark groundbreaking discussions on the state of the industry, the conference is an unparalleled platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and expertise that will redefine the future of the publishing and bookselling industry.

Dohle identified six reasons why the publishing and bookselling industry is on the rise, making this arguably the best time in history for the industry. First, the global revenue for books is showing growth year-on-year. Second, the industry is experiencing stability and profitability in distribution models. Third, there is a healthy co-existence between digital and traditional formats of books. “What may surprise many is that 80% of the market is still in physical copies, even with the additional options we have these days. Print has prevailed, and has proven to be the “life insurance” for publishers and retailers,” Dohle stated. Fourth, the addressable audience is growing every year due to population growth and increasing literacy rates.

The fifth reason Dohle presented is that the biggest market for books and publishing is for children and young adults. This is a healthy sign for the future of publishing. Finally, Dohle noted the ever-growing industry of audiobooks. He explained that listening to stories is in our DNA and that the format enables people to multi-task, making it attractive to those with busy lifestyles.

In conclusion, according to Dohle, the data shows that the publishing and bookselling industry is thriving, and there are many opportunities for growth and success. Despite negative perceptions, the future looks bright.

 The conference’s opening day also featured a series of workshops, each led by experts in their respective fields. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about data in the book industry, sustainability and the SDGs, consumer book buying behaviours, effective social media campaigns, bookshop design and marketing, along with many more engaging and informative sessions. The workshops provide an excellent platform for attendees to ask questions, exchange ideas, and learn from the experts. Attendees have the chance to network with other professionals in the industry and build new connections.

At the two-day event held alongside the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), participants discussed how book distribution activities and creative content could reach a wider audience.

The event serve as a platform for expertise and knowledge exchange to encourage participants to diversify distribution mechanisms and learn from inspiring and innovative experiences that will benefit the sector.

The agenda of the highly anticipated event is more robust and holistic with new features, including workshops, keynote sessions and open dialogues that enable participants to network with their peers and discuss environmental, cultural, and technological elements that impact the distribution sector and its various initiatives. It also provides a platform to forge partnerships and direct sales between publishers and distributors.

The conference will feature representatives from major publishing houses around the world, including Penguin Random House, Wonder House, Austin Macauley, Bonnier/Igloo, Kogan Page, Pan Macmillan, Difference Engine, MMS, Avicenna, Bookland Press, Lightning Source, Aseer Alkutoob, Estifan, Alshamel, and Dar Amnah, who will provide inspiration for the sector’s development.

Through 18 curated workshops during the two-day event that brings together experts, distributors, and publishers, the Bookseller Conference will evaluate the realities of book and creative content distribution, explore new distribution and marketing mechanisms, and empower participants with the latest knowledge and industry practices.

Ross Welford and Jasmine Warga are among the international guests. Khyrunnisa A., the Indian bestselling author of the Butterfingers series, Sharon Cameron, Canadian #1 New York Times bestselling author, and Cheri J Meiners, US author of the Learning to Get Along® social skills series, will also be part of the festival.

Ellie Robinson, the British multi-medal-winning swimmer and author, and Shiko Nguru, the Kenyan author and content creator, are two of the debut authors to look out for at SCRF 2023. Robinson’s first book for children, Gold Medal Mysteries: Thief on the Track, and Nguru’s debut novel, Mwikali and the Forbidden Mask, are set to captivate readers with thrilling mystery stories and East African mythology.

Ross MacKenzie, an award-winning author of children’s fiction from Scotland, will also attend the festival, sharing his passion for storytelling with young readers. Dr Fabrice Jaumont, an award-winning author and education advisor from France, is set to attend the festival, sharing his insights into bilingualism, education, philanthropy, and higher education.

Indian children’s author and yoga expert, Yamini Muthanna, will be sharing her book Power of Yoga, which encourages children to embrace the practice of yoga for mental and physical health and well-being. Timothy Knapman, the internationally bestselling author of children’s fiction from the UK, will also attend the festival, sharing his over 70 books, including Princesses Break Free, Dinosaurs in the Supermarket, and Superhero Mum, Dad, and Gran.

Mexican author and diplomat Francisca Mendez will be discussing her widely acclaimed children’s book, Why Doesn’t Fernando Want to Grow Up, which originates from her own experiences in raising an autistic child and began as an innocent question from Fernando’s sibling who didn’t understand why her mentally challenged brother was different. This literary work, illustrated by Enrique Torralba transcends the mere narration of a single family’s odyssey and serves as an invaluable resource for fostering understanding and enlightenment regarding the management of families grappling with autism spectrum disorder, as well as addressing the many stigmas that surround the condition.

Featuring her latest book, The Magic of the Lost Story, award winning Indian educator, author and philanthropist, Sudha Murty, will also attend the festival, and reveal the proliferation of Rampuri cuisine from its opulent origins to commonplace, serving as a platform to break down the concept of classism through the articulation of themes that unite all peoples, such as affection, bereavement, absolution, and spirituality.

Dr. Vatsala Sperling will be showcasing the many children’s books she has authored including Classic Tales from India, an anthology of seven historic teachings, meticulously translated from the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas. These stories offer a glimpse into the antiquated Indian customs and impart invaluable moral teachings, all embellished by full-colour paintings in accordance with the time-honoured Hindu canon.

Also joining the literary lineup this year will be FranklinCovey Co.’s Vice President of Books and Audio, Annie Oswald, an accomplished project manager from the US for several bestselling self-help books, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and The 7 Habits of Happy Kids.

A.J. Low, the husband-and-wife writing team of Adan Jimenez and Felicia Low-Jimenez from Singapore, will also grace the SCRF 2023 lineup. They are the authors of the internationally bestselling Sherlock Sam series, which has been published in multiple languages.

Dr Wale Okediran, an award-winning Nigerian writer, medical doctor, and former member of the Nigerian Parliament, is another notable author participating in the festival. Bestselling children’s and young adult fiction authors, Lily LaMotte from the US, Paro Anand from India and Shaw Kuzki from Japan, have also confirmed their participation at the festival this year.

He urged publishers to approach it with a “curious and positive mind set.  Try it out, play with it, work out the ways it can help your business”.

He began with an explanation of what Chat GPT is.  The initials stand for ‘Generative Pre-Trained Transformer’ and said “it can best be thought of as a digital emulation of the human brain.  It uses a ‘large language model’ – it is like a giant brain trained on a huge input of data.”

Founded by San Francisco-based OpenAI in November 2022, some of its applications are breath-taking.  Before the fair, Singleton asked it to edit Shakespeare’s famous ‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy from Hamlet.  It came up with: ‘The big question is whether or not to keep living.  It is better to endure the hardships that life throws our way, or to fight against them, and overcome them’.  Not quite Shakespeare, but impressive, nonetheless.  He also put an opening page of a thriller set in the London Book Fair and it was passable.

“It is very good for generating ideas.  When I last looked there were 771 titles on Kindle that listed Chat GPT as an author – and I suspect that figure is higher.”

He explained that search is potentially more efficient with Chat GPT because instead of bringing up links as with Google, “it takes you straight to the answer”.

But he warned of the dangers too.  “This has all happened very quickly and arguably it’s a digital revolution that we’re not ready for yet.  There are serious questions over accuracy.  Chat GPT uses data before September 2021, so anything after that can be poor.  And while it can produce information very quickly, that information needs checking”.

He also said it is not good at understanding context and that “you have to be precise about what you ask.  There is a lack of attribution regarding sources too.”  Most worrying of all is concern over fake news and the implications for education.  “We’ve all read about universities receiving essays that are written by Chat GPT and some educational institutions are now moving away from essays as a learning requirement now.”

Singleton said that one of the problems was the speed with which AI is developing.  “We don’t have a regulatory framework yet, and all the tech companies are now racing to launch their own versions.  Google issued an internal ‘code red’ when Chat GPT launched, and they will follow suit with their answer”.

The interest in technological developments like AI and TikTok could be seen by the standing room only events the book fair’s Tech Theatre.  It was reassuring that it seems both platforms are only as good as the human input behind them.

Making the presentation, Bloomsbury executive director Ian Hudson said: “Klaus has an amazing eye for children’s illustration and a wonderful nose for a great story which he has brought together throughout his career to publish beautiful books that have sold the world over. He has discovered , nurtured or partnered with much of the royalty of children’s picture books including, Tony Ross, David McKee, Satoshi Kitamora, Emma Chichester Clarke, Michael Foreman, Ruth Brown, Jeanne Willis, Chris Riddell and Sir Quentin Blake to name but a few. What’s more he has helped create huge bestselling character brands such as Elmer the Patchwork Elephant and The Little Princess. Klaus has always been passionate about finding and nurturing new talent.”

Born in Hamburg in 1934, Flugge was apprenticed to a book shop and then attended Book Trade School in Leipzig. He emigrated to America at the age of 23 as an East German refugee who spoke only German and Russian. After a variety of jobs, and two years as an American GI, he was offered a role working as a Personal Assistant to Lew Schwartz, owner of Abelard-Schuman in New York. After only a year and a half Schwartz suggested he go to Europe to build up their local list and Klaus came to London in 1961. He launched Andersen Press – named after Hans Christian Andersen – in the autumn of 1976.

In 2016 , to celebrate Andresen’s 40th birthday, he launched the Klaus Flugge Prize for the Most Exciting Newcomer To Picture Books to specifically recognise a picture book from a debut illustrator.  Flugge not only funds a cash prize but also offers mentoring to the award winners.  He was the first publisher to receive the Eleanor Farjeon Award and the first to be awarded Honorary Membership of the Youth Libraries Group. In 2013 he was made an Honorary Citizen of the City of Bologna and in 2016 Andersen Press was named European Publisher of the Year at the Bologna Book Fair.

Hudson concluded: “Through good times and bad , Andersen Press has remained profitable, skilfully navigated by Klaus. Klaus is also a great salesman, he has always been incredibly well connected in global publishing and sat at the centre of a global picture book network… That interconnecting of writers, illustrators and their readers is the hallmark of Klaus who is a true champion of global publishing. Klaus, I know I speak for many in this audience and beyond when I say you are a great friend and we have learnt so much from you. Your books have enriched young lives and ignited a lifelong love of reading for so many. This lifetime achievement award is so richly deserved and we salute you.”

Set to take place on May 1-2 on the side-lines of the 14th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), at Expo Centre Sharjah, the two-day event will bring together 383 book distributors including 160 from 17 Arab nations and 223 from 52 countries around the world. 

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO – Kalimat Group, will headline the two-day event with a keynote address. The conference will also hear from HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, SBA Chairman; leading businessman Marcus Dohle; ex- CEO of Penguin Random House, Kinokuniya UAE’s Steve Jones, and others. Alongside the Booksellers Conference’s exceptional matchmaking and networking platform, attendees will also be offered a choice of 18 workshops and roundtables as well as 15 publisher pitches to pick from to upskill & explore specific areas of commercial interest.

The first day of the conference will open with a welcome address by Al Ameri, SBA Chairman. Kuo-yu Liang, prominent business consultant, will return to the two-day event with fresh insights on the latest in the bookselling industry. This will be followed by a thrilling conversation on future prospects and key marketplace learnings, particularly in children’s publishing, between Marcus Dohle and Porter Anderson. 

The second keynote address of the day will be led by Mark Thornton from Bookshop.org, UK; Sarah Dennis, Mostly Books and Borzoi Bookshop; and Jo Coldwell, Red Lion Books.

On Day 2, the first keynote titled “The Five P’s of Retail – The Hits, Misses & Learning of 30 years in Bookselling”, will be delivered by Steve Jones of Kinokuniya UAE. The second one will be led by Julie Belgrado – Director – European and International Booksellers Federation, who will turn the spotlight on the key topic of sustainability.

This year, the conference programme is more robust and holistic with new features like 17 expert-led workshops and roundtables. Attendees will have the opportunity to select from wide ranging topics like ‘Data services – what can Nielsen do for you’; ‘Sustainability and The SDGs’; ‘Why People Buy – Consumer Book Buying Behaviours’; The Art of giving great customer service’; ‘Creating partnerships – How to develop a network of collaborators’; ‘Selling Manga and Graphic Novels’; ‘How to create effective social media campaigns that sell books’; ‘The 4 Cs of Bookshop Design and Marketing’; and ‘Maximising the impact of your bookshop in the innovation ecosystem around your city.

Three Arabic language sessions are part of the itinerary and ‘Reduce distribution cost’; ‘E- distribution for E-book/Audiobook’; and ‘Stage of distribution’. 

A special round table for publishers entitled Bookselling and distribution in Southeast Asia will be led by Prakash Book’s Gaurav Sabharwal.

The 2nd edition of the International Bookseller Conference has also designed an exclusive platform for facilitating publisher pitches and enabling direct sales between publishers and distributors. The platform will showcase 15 reputed Arab and international publishers and distributors including Penguin Random House, Wonder House, Austin Macauley, Bonnier/Igloo, Kogan Page, Pan Macmillan, Difference Engine, MMS, Avicenna, Bookland Press, Lightning Source, Aseer Alkutoob, Estifan, Alshamel, and Dar Amnah.

During both days of the event, attendees will be able to access workshops, roundtable discussions, and pitch presentations, along with the conference’s original networking sessions. 

The Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards have been given every year since 1995 by the Turkish Publishers Association to those who are not afraid to express their thoughts, with the hope that Türkiye will achieve universal criteria of freedom of thought and expression as soon as possible. Each year, a publisher, an author and a bookstore are given an award, and the annual Freedom to Publish Report of the Association is also presented to the public during the ceremony.

In his opening speech at the ceremony, Kenan Kocatürk, President of the Turkish Publishers Association and member of the Executive Board of the International Publishers Association, said that the main problems that the Turkish publishing sector struggles with are the obstacles to freedom of thought and expression, as well as the prohibitions, legal difficulties and pressures on the freedom to publish. In his speech, Kocatürk drew attention to the danger of the spread and deepening of censorship in all areas of life.

The Turkish Publishers Association, a member of the International Publishers Association representing Türkiye, works to develop the publishing profession, solve industrial problems, support the fight against piracy, protect copyright and the freedom to publish, contribute to the development of reading culture and make Türkiye an international publishing center. Founded in 1985, the Turkish Publishers Association is chaired by Kenan Kocatürk.