Moroccan cultural activist Jamila Hassoun is one of the active women in Moroccan society in the field of spreading reading and knowledge and enabling children and students to access books, especially in remote areas without libraries and schools.

On several tours between the High Atlas Mountains extending from central to northeast Morocco, Hassoun visited many village schools and distributed books to their students. In 2006, she launched the ‘Caravan of Books’ initiative, which aims to promote reading and distribute books in remote areas, in addition to organizing art workshops and creative sessions with the participation of writers, artists and celebrities from inside and outside the Morocco.

‘Nasher’ had this exclusive interview with Jamila Hassoun about her many initiatives, her promising ambitions, her vision to encouraging the love of reading and the relationship of the book with the development of community.

* Would you tell us more about the ‘Caravan of Books’ initiative, its significance and impact since its launch in 1996?

The ‘Caravan of Books’ project in its current form started off in 2006 from a family library owned by my family that I was managing. The motive for this project was that most of the library’s visitors were from remote areas (mountains and desert). I knew the difficulties they face in obtaining books, due to the remoteness of these areas from the city, and the absence of libraries and cultural spaces.

The most important impact of the Caravan was to try to bridge this knowledge gap. I think the caravan is a step towards democratizing knowledge and making it available as widely as possible to the most disadvantaged groups.

*The project seems to be a diverse social, cultural and artistic initiative, rather than a ‘mobile book fair’. What is the role of culture and art in the development of civil community?

 The caravan might look like a mobile book fair, but is in fact a mobile cultural space. It is not only loaded with books and multi-media cultural materials, but also with different groups of Arab and non-Arab culture makers, who hold a number of events, meetings, theatrical performances, and cultural workshops in the most remote places.

* Where did you get your enthusiasm for the project? Is it because you are a library owner, or were there other considerations behind the idea?

I’ve been running my family’s library for more than 20 years, as I said. My experience in the library was a major driver. I was annoyed that books remained on the shelves, even though the students needed them. This lack of access to books moved me in this direction.

At first, I decided to make what I called a ‘reading table’: a space that allows readers to sit in the library to read without having to buy the book.

Over time, the reading table turned into a space to host writers and thinkers to engage with readers and present their books and products.

*The ‘Caravan of Books’ initiative has turned into a project that includes exploratory trips to remote mountainous or desert regions. Don’t you think that this might take the initiative away from its primary goals?

The caravan carries a number of artists, intellectuals, and writers to the most remote areas, and this stems from our belief in the importance of cultural exchange. The caravan provides the inhabitants of the mountains and desert regions with knowledge. In return, they play their role in educating the visitors and introducing them to their local culture and heritage.

* How can the participation of writers and artists enrich such initiatives? Does their celebrity play a role in increasing interest for books?

In 1999, I conducted an opinion poll under the theme ‘What do village students want to read?’. It covered a sample of 1,000 young men and women, whose answers were pretty interesting, as they expressed their desire, not only to read books, but also to meet the writers who write these books, to see and interact with them about their ideas and creations.

* Who supports the project, especially since it has been going on for many years and requires long-distance travelling?

The project started with personal funding, and from the library’s modest profits. Then I got some in-kind support from a number of international cultural institutions, including the German Goethe-Institut. Some institutions donate books, and some friends contribute financially to support and secure transportation, housing and logistical needs.

* Who is responsible for the lack of interest for reading in the Arab world?

I think this lack of interest is the result of several economic and social factors. Of course, states bear the responsibility for achieving quantitative goals related to education and reading, but civil community is also not exempt from the responsibility to contribute to the promotion of books and reading.

* Women lead many successful cultural and social initiatives in Morocco. What is the importance of Moroccan women’s participation in cultural and community development?

Moroccan women play a positive role in agriculture and traditional industries, in addition to their essential role in their homes and raising children. This partnership, which may appear in cities as a manifestation of “modernity”, is authentic in Moroccan community.

* How did you find the children’s interest for reading? Do they lack books or enthusiasm for reading?

According to my impressions and experience, children have an innate curiosity for books and the exploration of what is in them. This curiosity needs to be developed in order to turn it into a regular conduct within the daily habits of the child or young people.

* Do you think books are able to bring remote communities out of their isolation?

Of course, I believe in the role of the book in breaking the isolation. In fact, this idea is at the core of our work and among its main objectives.

* What is the next step for Jamila Hassoun? Where do your ambitions take you next?

I believe the ‘Caravan of Books’ initiative can develop into a nucleus of several static projects in the villages. Among the projects I have been developing for years, is an annual cultural forum that starts from Marrakesh, the city, to the desert and the villages, drawing inspiration from the experience and spirit of the Caravan and developing it.

The annual forum seeks to create a renewed space for Arab cultural and knowledge exchange, and to revitalize an environment that stimulates creativity by hosting a group of writers, artists and culture makers in the Arab world, as well as holding seminars and workshops in both cities and villages. A cultural forum in this sense is intended to challenge the concept of the centre and periphery that limit the access of culture to its recipients who live in the suburbs, and supports the culture democratization concept by securing it for all.

This project may develop into a cultural centre that launches many initiatives and activities, including the annual forum. I hope the centre will become a cultural hotspot from Marrakech to all parts of Morocco, and that it will be a point of contact between the Arab Maghreb and the Levant, and the world as well, why not.

The Malaysian bookseller snappily called Big Bad Wolf Books is roaring again.  It has plans to take its revolutionary approach of cheap books for all into new parts of Africa – specifically Uganda in February/March, and Ethiopia in March/April – as well as into China, also in March/April.  It also has hopes of building bookstores in the UAE, Middle East and Africa, to help boost literacy and give books a “front-facing space”.

The company’s giant book sales are something to behold, usually filling giant event spaces with table after table of titles bought in bulk from global English language publishers.  Families pour in, eager to browse and buy. 

Big Bad Wolf is now in 36 cities in 15 countries, among the most recent locations being Nairobi and Dar El Salaam.   It has also recently set up a joint venture with Sharjah Publishing City in the UAE, giving it a base from which to supply the region.

The company’s Malaysian owner, Andrew Yap, is a quietly charismatic figure, with tattoos of favourite cars, dragons and roses.  He talks with passion about the difference books can make.  “I didn’t grow up in a house of books,” he says.  “We weren’t rich.  My father ran a gas station and all I wanted to do when I grew up was race cars.

“Books were a privilege.  The way I see it now is that books are only accessible to those who don’t need them, and books are not accessible to those who need them most.”

He wants to change that and says his mission is to widen access to books, sentiments that tie-in with Sharjah’s many outreach schemes for books.

After school, Yap began working in a garage repairing cars and dreamt of one day racing them.  “But it’s too expensive to become a racing driver, so I just began racing saloon cars.”  He didn’t have any crashes, but adds with a smile: “Negotiating with publishers is harder than racing cars.”

He stumbled into bookselling via running a newsagent that sold magazine publishers’ overstocks.  “Somebody approached us to sell some book overstocks and it went very well.”

So well in fact that it led to Yap establishing a chain of bookstores called BookXcess which now has 20 stores in Malaysia, some of which are open 24 hours.  The bulk of the stock are remainders but Yap says publishers are increasingly printing books especially for them now.

Some of the Big Bad Wolf’s events are breath-taking.  “In Jakarta we had 5m books on display in a country where people don’t speak English but recognise its importance,” Yap says.  “My greatest joy though, is when we run an event that doesn’t make money but you know you’re changing lives and making a difference.”

Amelia Smith is a journalist and a writer with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa region. We caught up with her in an exclusive interview to discuss her novel ‘Behind The Sun’ and her work in general.

What interests and inspires you?

I have a particular interest in political prisoners and have interviewed scores of former detainees and their families. I am fascinated by how imprisoning one person not only destroys their life but has such a strong ripple effect across a whole community and the fight for justice can consume entire lives. I am also fascinated by how authoritarian states inject mistrust into communities, turning loved ones against loved ones, and it is this that I wanted to capture in Behind the Sun.

As a journalist, how does writing differ from being a fictional author? And did you use your journalistic knowledge and connection when writing Behind the Sun?

Behind the Sun is the story of a family set in the crosshairs of a ruthless military unit and is ultimately destroyed by a dictatorship. The feared Branch 290 has been watching Shams’ family for weeks and as she tries to find out who betrayed her brother, who has been forcibly disappeared, she suspects that someone close has passed them information.

The novel is a tapestry of the interviews I have conducted over the course of my career with people living under authoritarian rule. Often political prisoners are male (Yusuf), and a female member of their family dedicates their whole life to securing justice for them (Shams). I have seen this countless times.  I also wanted to explore some of the moral dilemmas which arise from imprisonment. It is common for interrogating officers to demand detainees give up the names and addresses of their friends and siblings, and if they don’t, they are tortured. So, have they betrayed a loved ones’ trust, or do they have no choice but to do what they are told to do? What would you do if you were in their position? Essentially, you can trust no one, not even those who are the closest to you.

In terms of how writing a novel differs from being a journalist, in news it’s important to faithfully relay quotes and experiences of the people you interview. In a novel the characters are your own and you are free to shape them as you wish.

How did your book journey start?

The forcibly disappeared have become a statistic, this gets worse the higher the figure gets. I wanted to turn them into characters, or real people with lives, hopes and dreams, that any reader could relate to. I love to write, especially long form and in depth.  Unfortunately, in news there is less and less space to do this, everything is about short, simple articles. So writing a novel was one way to do this.

Why did you choose to write about the Syrian conflict or make it the topic of your novel?

I have always been interested in how Aleppo, the Syrian city Behind the Sun is set in, remained calm for some 16 months as the uprising intensified across the rest of the country and how the work Shams and Yusuf were doing was not only incredibly brave – they had clear examples in other cities of what would happen to them if they were caught – but it was also a last attempt to fight for democracy as their country collapsed around them.

Shams was apolitical before the revolution and initially had no interest in taking part. As it surrounded her, she had no choice. Here in the UK, we’ve watched the Syrian uprising from the beginning, and so many people have said to me, “I’d never take part in something like that.” But I think that no one knows what they would do until the time comes and something so huge was at the door. Before the Syrian uprising there were 14 branches of the secret state including Branch 290, the Aleppo branch, which features in Behind the Sun. They were ruthless, carried out numerous human rights violations including at the detention facilities they oversaw. I wanted to explore what happened when someone came under the control of one of these notorious branches.

There are many fictional books that have been written about Syria and the impact of its conflict on Syrian people, how do you think Behind the Sun stands out from them?

It’s my hope that readers of Behind the Sun, no matter where they are from, can relate to the characters, feel some of what they are going through, and at the same time enjoy the reading experience.

A novel is longer lasting than a news article; hopefully Behind the Sun is a testament to what so many brave people went through all those years ago and the consequences that reverberate today.

What research did you do for the novel and were your characters based on real people or stories that you have been told?

Most of what happens in this book is based on interviews I have done over the course of my career. When I finished, I wanted it to be as accurate as possible, so I asked a good friend who was heavily involved in the Syrian uprising from the start, and is himself a former political prisoner, to edit it for me. His advice was invaluable. In one scene Shams eats a falafel wrap, but he told me it was Egyptian style and explained what a Syrian wrap would look like. He also tweaked the names, moved the characters into apartments rather than houses, and changed some of Shams’ clothes to suit what a young woman from Aleppo was more likely to wear.

Some of the characters are inspired by real people who I have not interviewed, most notably Xr, who works in a morgue photographing bodies. His character draws on Caesar, the military police photographer who smuggled out tens of thousands of pictures of people who were tortured to death inside a Syrian prison.

What do you hope to achieve with Behind the Sun?

I hoped to write a political thriller that people enjoyed reading and gave a good insight into what people went through during the Syrian uprising.

Some critics might say your novel focused on one side of the conflict and did not go into depth to various aspect of it and how the conflict drew many sides. Why did you refrain from exploring that?

I wanted to tell a story from the point of view of people, and how they have been affected by living in a police state; how this changes our perception of trust and makes us doubt even those who are closest to us. It’s not a novelist’s job to be impartial, that is the job of a news reporter. 

The book ended without answers being given to the readers as to what happened to Shams, Yousif and Amin, was that intentional? Is there a sequel to it?

No, it was not my intention, in my mind their onward journey was clear. However, I did want to give the reader some space to imagine exactly what step they would take next.

Why did you self-publish and not get a publishing house to help you publish Behind The Sun

Self-publishing gives you greater control over the editing process, front cover design and how the book is distributed.

What has been the response to your book so far?

The response has been positive, both from people who are already interested in this part of the world and those who are approaching it for the first time. I wanted to reach an audience not just interested in the MENA region but write a book that was for everyone.

What is next for you, and will you write about Syria again?

I am working on a second novel, also a political thriller. This one is based between Egypt and the UK.

When I moved to Switzerland, I had a lot of people ask me about Syria. I realised then that people in Europe and the West don’t really know what’s going on. All they see are the consequences of the raging war and refugees coming into their countries. I wanted to send the message that no one wants to be a refugee. No one takes to the sea, risking drowning, if what they’re leaving behind is not much more frightening. While this is a fictional novel, the incidents and stories told are certainly based on real life experiences. The novel is meant to sow together bits and pieces of authentic tragic events into one literary work, with an additional speculative element.

I wanted the story to convey the realities happening in Syria but with a strong message of hope. And that’s where the title comes from. As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is an homage to a Nizar Qabbani poem verse that translates to “every lemon shall bring forth a child, and the lemons will never die out.” It is also said that in Homs you won’t find a house that doesn’t have a lemon tree.

They’re a symbol of resilience and hope.

I started writing it in 2017, finished it in 2018 and then until late 2020.

 How did you research it? Was any part of it a personal experience?

The horrors happening in Syria aren’t a mystery to Syrians nor to people living in the Middle East as a whole. Stories are traded within the Syrian community. At the start of the revolution, Facebook was the medium where protestors shared their stories and experiences on pages and groups. A lot of them don’t make it to the mainstream media particularly the ones in English as English isn’t a language many Syrians master.

 This is your debut novel, how did you embark on this publishing journey and what obstacles did you face?

I didn’t have writing friends who wrote in the same genre as me when I started this book. I found that Twitter was the space to be to find other authors. And that’s what I did. Through Twitter, I got to meet wonderful authors who I am happy to call my friends. They helped me make my book better. I also participated in a mentorship program called Author Mentor Match where I was able to develop the story with my mentor, Joan F. Smith. It was also through Twitter I was able to find my agent. There were definitely obstacles in my journey. I did receive about fifty rejections from agents that made me lose heart a bit. Publishing is a long journey and it’s sometimes hard not to take rejections personally. Because when you write, you’re writing something that is personal. These words are coming from your soul.

 Hope is the theme of your book, what are your hopes for the book once it’s released?

I do hope it makes readers want to know more about Syria. Damascus is the oldest city in the world. We have the last place on earth, Maalula, that speaks Aramaic, the language of the Prophet Jesus. There is so much history and so much love we have for our country that the world doesn’t know. I want them to know what is happening because the least we can do for people who are risking their lives is know their names and stories.

 Do you have a favourite spot or space where you write?

I love writing in hidden café gems that are surrounded by nature.

 Who do you get inspired by from the literary field and non-literary?

I am inspired by people who make me feel things. Hayao Miyazaki is a big inspiration of mine. He is the foundation of my imagination. L. M Montgomery and the beauty that are her Anne of Green Gables books are also my inspiration.

What is next for you and will your next book also be about Syria?

I am currently writing my next book and it is the other side of the coin to Lemon Trees. It deals with what happens after you reach safety. It also has themes of identity, racism, and healing from trauma. And of course, as always, hope.

HarperNonFiction publishing director Ajda Vucicevic acquired UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Australia and New Zealand, as part of a global deal. An Australian deal was negotiated by Helen Littleton, head of non-fiction at HarperCollins Australia.

Barty won the hearts of tennis fans and beyond everywhere with her honesty, fairness and openness on and off court.  She retired as the reigning Ladies Singles champion at Wimbledon and the Australlian Open, and is widely regarded as one of the world’s most accomplished players.  She has also become a role model for young women.

She said: “The book is about finding the path to being the best I could be, not just as an athlete but as a person, and to explore how those identities overlap and compete. We all have a professional and a personal self. My story is about the importance of purpose – and perspective – in our lives. Publishing my memoir now allows me to reflect on the moments in my tennis life while they are fresh in my mind.”

At HarperCollins Vucicevic said: “Ash is one of the all-time greatest tennis players and athletes in the world. Not only is she supremely talented, she is also an inspiration and a role model to millions with her hard work, determination and a fair play attitude.

“We have loved watching her journey on the court and cannot wait for everyone to find out the real story behind her rise, her successes and the many challenges she has overcome to get to the top. And of course, what’s next in store for her.”

“They frequently have to take shelter in the basement of their apartment block.  I know when there is a raid because I get an alert on my phone.  They added that to the transport app.  It means I can see what is happening.  The raids usually happen very early in the morning, around 4am.  The situation hasn’t been so bad lately, but I think the Russian troops will come back.”

On the stand is a selection of titles from the country’s publishers under the banner: ‘Russia’s War on Ukraine is not fiction but time to act’.  The organisers include the Ministry of Culture and Information policy of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Book Institute, the Ukrainian Institute and PEN Ukraine.  In an uncompromising bold statement they say: “After eight years of military aggression against Ukraine (occupied Donbas and occupied the Crimean Peninsula), Russia has launched an unprecedented full-scale war against our country. On 24 February 2022, the armed forces of the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine. As of 30 March, 1219 civilians were killed, including 148 children. Russians destroyed a huge number of civil infrastructure, including kindergartens, hospitals, libraries, and cultural properties. Over three million people took refuge in other countries.

“Russian invasion is the biggest and the deadliest than any other conflict that took place in Europe since World War II. United in bravery and determination, Ukrainians are fighting the aggressor on all fronts.

“We are very grateful to everyone for your invaluable support in recent months. You have done a lot to tell the world about Ukraine and the criminal war that Russia has waged against us. We really appreciate you being around. But we are very sorry that we barely knew each other before, that you knew so little about our culture and history during the last 30 years of our independence.”

They say the aim of the stand is “to present those publications that would help to understand Ukraine and its ancient and modern history and culture, as well as the reasons for the current war”.

Ukraine’s participation at the London Book Fair was made possible by a partnership with the British Council Ukraine within the UK/Ukraine Season 2022.

Andrey Kurkov, one of Ukraine’s most renowned authors, is often called a comic novelist for books like “Death and the Penguin,” about an obituary writer who takes in a penguin from a failing zoo.

But since Russia invaded his country on Thursday, Kurkov said he “didn’t feel ready to laugh at anything.” He had stopped writing a new novel, he added in a telephone interview from his Kyiv home on Thursday, and was devoting his time to speaking with reporters to explain what was happening in his country.

Kurkov has long been bringing wider attention to Russian aggression in Ukraine. His 2018 novel, “Grey Bees,” which is scheduled for release in the United States this April, is set in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine where, in 2014, rebels loyal to Russia declared independence for the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The book follows two old men living in the neutral zone between Ukrainian Army positions and those of the separatists, one of whom is seemingly more interested in tending his honeybees than in the conflict around them.

In the interview, Kurkov talked about “Grey Bees,” how the war would change Ukrainian literature and his hopes for the future. These are edited excerpts from that conversation.

You’re at home in Kyiv. What is life like for you?

Well, earlier we were looking for shelter because the neighbors started shouting that an air raid was coming, and instead of shelter, we went to the Radisson Hotel and stayed there for half an hour.

Then we went to my friend who has a shelter in his house. But it was very shabby and not nice. There were more explosions, but then there was some quiet so we returned home.

Some readers will turn to “Grey Bees” to try and learn about the background to this conflict. Why did you decide to write about the earlier war in the east of Ukraine?

Well, I wasn’t planning to write this book, but in 2014 we had an influx of refugees from Donbas in Kyiv, and I met a young businessman from Donetsk who was driving every month to a village not far from the front line, where seven families remained: without shops, without electricity, with nothing. So, he was bringing them medicines and whatever else they asked for, and they were saying thanks by giving him jars of preserved vegetables and pickles.

I had this idea that there were thousands of people stuck between the Russian Army and Ukrainian Army, with nowhere to go, and wanted to give a voice to those people.

In the book, your two main characters are just dealing with daily life; they don’t seem to care about politics or war.

People just want to survive. And people adapt to war, if it’s not destroying them personally. I went there three times, and I noticed that even the children could tell what rocket or mine caused an explosion, just by its sound. War became something banal, part of life.

Given you saw the conflict up close, did you ever expect this invasion?

No, until several weeks ago, I didn’t think it was realistic. And then I noticed that Putin became very old, very quickly, and started talking like Stalin before his death. Putin has a dream of recreating the Soviet Union, and he considers everybody who doesn’t love Russia, but understands the Russian language, as traitors. And he loves to kill traitors.

Since 2014, what effect has the upheaval in Ukraine had on literature in the country?

Before the war, there was no war literature. It was mostly sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll — and crime stories, of course. But this war created a parallel literature — literature written by war veterans, by volunteers. Those authors are probably already on the way to the front lines.

If Ukraine survives, it will create even more militant literature. And that doesn’t mean that the literature will become better. It just means that literature will be more politicized — like Soviet literature, but with a different kind of propaganda or patriotic ideas.

It sounds like that development worries you.

It does, because in Russia, traditionally writers are serving the government and its ideology. But in Ukraine, writers are serving themselves and their readers. I mean, the government never took interest in what writers were writing. That’s why we had so many books about sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll, and not many about Ukrainian history.

For our readers looking to learn about Ukraine at this moment, what book would you suggest they read?

I have my favorite writers I can recommend, like Maria Matios — she’s originally from Bukovina, near the border with Romania. She is the author of one of the best novels written since independence called “Sweet Darusya”. It’s about two villages in Bukovina, and life there from the 1920s to the 1990s. It’s about horrible things, but it’s written in such a wonderful language that you fall in love with every character and you feel for them. It’s an emotionally very powerful book.

What do you hope will happen now?

Well, my only hope is that the world finds a way to stop Putin and to leave Ukraine in peace because his goal is to destroy the country and to destroy Ukrainian independence. And if it happens, then half of the country will leave to Europe — they’ll be immigrants or refugees — and everything that will remain will be destroyed by the Russians who’ll behave like Bolsheviks in 1919.

Source: The New York Times

The inspiration for the store emerged at a moment of frustration following the death of their father after a very long and hard illness. At a dinner with friends, Nadia was asked: “If you could do anything, what would you do?” To that, both sisters replied: They would open a bookshop. “I remember, that night we sat there dreaming about it. Hind, my sister, said it’s not going to be any kind of bookstore, every shelf has to count, every book has to make a contribution.”

As mentioned in Shelf Life, the name Diwan was suggested to the sisters by their mother Faiza, not only because it’s an anthology of Persian and Arabic poems, but for being used to connote a guesthouse and an elegant couch. Diwani was also used to describe Arabic calligraphy and is easily pronounced by English, French and Arabic speakers.

Opened in 2002, Diwan now has stores in ten locations and around 150 employees. This all despite a revolution unfolding in the country.

Diwan and an adjacent café thrive on discussions and ideas and freedoms. “The problem of human beings is that we think in dualities. We think in opposites because it’s easy. Unfortunately, easy answers are lovely, but they don’t give you very much,” she explains.

That is partly why Diwan sold not only Arabic, but also English, French and German books, signifying a dialog between cultures rather than a “clash of civilizations”.

“Bookshops are important in our lives. They anchor us, they help us travel safely, because you can come back. You go and you return. And this is one of the things that is extremely empowering.”

Nadia’s chronicle of the bookstore in Shelf Life is a testimony of the times. “In the last 10 years, we’ve seen revolutions, a financial meltdown and another revolution,” she points out, adding that she wrote the book, not only to better understand “my relationship with the city and the bookstore,” but to celebrate “a Cairo that existed 20 years ago.”

Shelf Life is therefore a “homage to books and bookstores” and Diwan is “like a sister you might not get along with anymore, but you hold on to her because you know the two of you are the only people who have the same memory.”

Sources: Adapted from Deutsche Welle

“I am writing this book for my children, to show them that life is not easy and nothing is fixed,” he says.  “I want to tell them that there are difficulties and pitfalls, but with strong will, love and solidarity we can come through.  Do not give up – learn from your mistakes because they are part of your path to success.

Jarrous has for many years acted as a kind of cultural ambassador between east and west, smoothing the way for western publishers to do business with Arab countries, making introductions and facilitating western publishers’ participation in books fairs in the region, notably in the more closed markets like Saudi Arabia.  It is a role for which he seems born, with his natural bonhomie, language skills (Arabic, English and French) and genuine desire for people to engage in dialogue. He likes bringing people together.

However, his memoirs do not shy away from criticism of Arab publishing which he describes as “weak and in need of modernisation and development”. He continues: “The majority of Arab publishers are held back from developing because of a lack of financial resources, as well as weak markets which have been made worse by the cancellation of book fairs and the closure of libraries due to COVID-19.  With the exception of the United Arab Emirates – and particularly Sharjah – which supports writers and authors, Arab countries are absent from extending a helping hand to the publishing sector.  If the situation remains the same, there is no future for the publishing sector, and many publishing houses are going to close.”

He notes that Arab publishing houses suffer from “the crisis of piracy and freedom of expression which limits creativity and the easy transfer of Arab books between countries”. He adds: “The overwhelming majority of Arab publishing houses have not been established in a professional and scientific manner, and many publishers lack experience and knowledge on how to face the crises that hinder the publishing industry.  This is why, during my dealings with international book fairs, I insisted that there should be a training element for Arab publishers.

“International cultural institutions like the British Council in London and the Goethe Institute in Germany, and many others, should redouble their efforts to introduce the cultures and manners of different countries in order to strengthen cooperation in the fields of publishing”

Initially trained as a lawyer, Jarrous joined his father’s books and magazine distribution business in 1978 and soon added book publishing to the firm’s portfolio. He became a member of the Board of Directors of the Syndicate of Publishers Union in Lebanon in 1990 and in cooperation with the Syndicate, launched the Lebanon International Book Fair and held its presidency for a period of 7 years until 2001.

It was through this role with the Publishers Union in Lebanon that his international career developed.  In 2000 he smoothed the way for the Arab World to be Guest of Honor at Frankfurt which led to a more formal arrangement with exhibition-owners Reed in 2006, with a particular focus on providing links between US publishers and the Arab world for the Reed-owned London Book Fair and Book Expo America.  He recalls: “I developed business relations with Frankfurt, London and USA. These relations opened the way for the international book publishing industry to enter our Arab world. In return, Arab publishers benefited from international experience. It was a period full of developments, achievements and fruitful cooperation, which I have covered in my book.”

In recent weeks, he has been saddened by Reed’s decision to cancel BookExpo.  He worries that there isn’t the political support for the books business in the US. “I don’t think in the US there is governmental interest in supporting the publishing industry. There should be an association which supports books and writers like the British Council and Goethe institute and which are expanded around the world. I think the US has become closed in on itself.”

Along with many in the industry, he hopes that the new administration under President Biden may view the book industry more positively.

His memoirs have given him the chance to thank the many friends he has made in the industry. “In the book I have thanked those who supported me and from whose knowledge I have benefited. I am honored and proud to have the friends I have made in this business over the years. Do not stop giving and helping others – I was happy when I was serving and helping others, or serving my country, my surroundings and my profession.  I did not hate people who offended me – I simply changed my behavior with them.  For me, working was a pleasure and a passion…

His daughters Rania and Noor, and son Adib, also help in the business and have become familiar faces at international book fairs before the pandemic. Appropriately, he saves his final words for the institution of family.

“It is the family that is the cornerstone, so let us preserve it. Family is the support and help that stands by our side in the most difficult circumstances – and that has been the case this year perhaps more than any other.”

Yuval Noah Harari, in his book “21 Lessons for the 21st Century”.

Mr. Harari couldn’t be proven right in a more dramatic way than with a pandemic that has challenged us all around the world and put us to a test, regardless of ethnicity, culture, economy or religious beliefs, like nothing we have experienced so far.

One of the things I have learned during these years as IPA President, is about the importance of international cooperation. IPA has been engaged in this for 125 years (it’s our anniversary in 2021!), but the pandemic reinforced the notion of sticking together, more than ever. The response of publishers and our partners, authors and booksellers, among others, has been heart-warming.

Cooperation is important, not only between publishers coming from every corner of the world, but also with other valued partners, with whom collaboration has been essential. I said in April, at the beginning of the pandemic, that I was confident that together, with authors, booksellers and other partners, we would overcome this crisis. And I am still sure we will, together.

I would like to thank the great collaboration we have had with such valued organizations as: the IAF (International Authors Forum), PEN International, the EIBF (European and International Booksellers Federation), IFRRO (International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations), IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions), IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) and of course our regional and specialized member associations. By the way, another thing I learned was to decipher the many acronyms we all use.

Also organizations like the UN (United Nations) with whom we have collaborated to create fantastic projects like the SDG Book Club and the SDG Publishers Compact, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), with whom we partner for the World Book Capital City project (currently Kuala Lumpur but with Tbilisi and Guadalajara to come), ADEA (Association for the Development of Education in Africa), Dubai Cares, that has generously sponsored IPA’s Africa Publishing Innovation Fund, and especially WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation), the most important global policy making body that regulates the international copyright framework but also leads the Accessible Books Consortium, as well as working with IPA on publishing reliable statistics on the international publishing industry.

But why do we make such an effort to maintain an organization like IPA? We do it because, when we are united, we are able to speak with one voice, which is heard loud and clear by all kind of national and international policy making bodies. No publishing house alone, no matter how large, could have that impact, in order to represent and defend publishers interests worldwide.

This is possible because of a highly committed and efficient staff in our Geneva office, but also because of the work of so many publishers from different countries, who are convinced of the mission of IPA. Part of what makes the IPA special as an international association is how diverse our members are and how well they work together.

The pandemic has affected businesses around the world in different ways. It has also served as an excuse for some to advance their own particular agenda.

Copyright is the basic economic model for returning value to creators and publishers, thus encouraging the creation and dissemination of ideas and information. But this model is under attack.

We are all familiar today with expressions like “sharing is good” and “information wants to be free”. They are well-known expressions and seem to be clear and unequivocal, but they hide something that is much more complex and disturbing.

Copyright is a mechanism invented three hundred years ago to help monetise the labour of creators and publishers. Without copyright, creators and publishers would have no incentive to produce new works.

Copyright has enabled a world where millions of words, images, music and other creative expressions are produced every year. But the companies that now threaten copyright, which are the largest and wealthiest corporations in the history of humankind, operate on a very different business model. One that feeds on free content created by others.

IPA has prevented this from getting any worse, by actively engaging with policy makers all around the world, to explain to them the value of the copyright framework. And we will continue to do so.

But what value has the best copyright protection, if we are not free to publish those works we consider appropriate? If a publisher is harassed, intimidated, threatened, or imprisoned because of the works they publish? Unfortunately, censorship is growing all over the world.

This is why IPA has a Prix Voltaire. To honour remarkable and inspiring publishers who are willing to face risks to disseminate books they deem valuable to readers. To recognize the bravery of publishers confronting extraordinary hardships. I personally admire all Prix Voltaire recipients. They are an inspiration to us all.

IPA will continue to defend brave publishers all over the world, who continue their mission even under sometimes extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

Looking back at one year of pandemic, I can say that publishers have shown themselves to be resilient and innovative in responding to change. We have been innovative, finding new ways to bring books to readers, teachers and students. We have been generous and responsible citizens, often making educational or scientific resources available for free.

Publishing is a long-term business. Let us keep that in mind. We will overcome this crisis, together. Of that I am sure. We play such a vital role in society. We entertain with engaging stories, we help educate our children, we provide curated scientific information for the advancement of humanity.

I feel pride at the resourcefulness of our industry, at the energy we find to look for new ways to bring more books to more people, at the way we have stepped up to play our role in supporting society. The value of publishing has been made even clearer.

German poet and novelist Hermann Hesse wrote the following in his little-known essay “The Magic of the Book”:

“Without words, without writing, and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity.”

We contribute to crafting a better world with the books we publish. Let us be proud of our profession.