Watch: International Booksellers Conference starts in Sharjah; calls for sustainability in industry

Watch: International Booksellers Conference starts in Sharjah; calls for sustainability in industry

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi highlights environmental pressures, material shortages, hyper-inflation of energy and other costs of business during the opening

By Web Desk Published: Tue 2 May 2023, 12:19 AM

“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.”

This powerful message was delivered by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, and Immediate Past President of International Publishers Association, highlighting environmental pressures, material shortages and hyper-inflation of energy and other costs of business during the opening of the Sharjah International Booksellers Conference, a pioneering event that is building upon the success of its inaugural event last year. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), the two-day conference brings together a host of prominent booksellers, publishers, authors, and