SHARJAH (WAM)
Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), chaired a board meeting to review the authority’s 2025-2028 Digital Transformation Roadmap and discuss plans to expand its international participation programme across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
The meeting, attended by board members and senior executives, also assessed progress on strategic projects aimed at strengthening the publishing sector’s readiness for rapid global industry shifts.
Opening the meeting, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan said Sharjah’s cultural project, led by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, is focused on building a sustainable knowledge industry and strengthening the global presence of Arab culture through investment in books, translation, publishing, and international partnerships.
“The publishing industry is evolving rapidly, requiring new tools that expand access to knowledge and strengthen the presence of Emirati and Arab literature in global markets," she said.
"At SBA, our role goes beyond organising cultural events. We are building an integrated ecosystem that supports writers, publishers and translators, while creating wider opportunities for Arabic content to reach global audiences."
Discussions covered the authority’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, which includes enhancing visitor and publisher experiences, launching publishing and business service platforms, developing smart tools for data and relationship management, and advancing audiobook publishing and Arabic digital library projects.
Board members also discussed the role of emerging technologies and AI in advancing the publishing industry and supporting more sustainable models for the knowledge economy, while stressing the importance of maintaining the quality of cultural and knowledge-based content.
The authority’s international participation programme was also reviewed, including preparations for Sharjah’s participation as Guest of Honour at the 2026 Warsaw International Book Fair, where more than 21 UAE cultural institutions and 35 Emirati writers and creatives are expected to take part.
Board members reviewed the outcomes of the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair, which attracted more than 1.4 million visitors from 206 countries and featured publishers and cultural institutions from 118 countries.
Updates were also shared on Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone’s efforts to expand ties with global publishing markets, including the outcomes of its India roadshow, which brought together more than 190 Indian publishing houses and generated over 120 networking and collaboration opportunities.
Among the authority’s recent achievements was the organisation of the Publishers Conference, which attracted 1,604 participants from 116 countries, alongside more than 2,098 applications for the 2025 Translation Grant programme.
The meeting also reviewed updates on the Sharjah Literary Agency, which secured new international rights agreements and is developing projects to adapt literary works into films, visual productions, and animated content.
Board members also discussed the authority's partnership with Big Bad Wolf, one of the world’s largest book sale initiatives, and its role in expanding access to reading and broadening the reach of books to wider audiences.
Concluding the meeting, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan praised the efforts of the authority’s teams and board members and stressed the importance of continuing to develop initiatives that strengthen Sharjah’s global cultural position and support the future of the publishing and knowledge sectors.