Conferences
Recommendations of the 6th Arab Publishers Conference
Held in the Emirate of Sharjah on 2-3 November, 2022 A.D.
(Arabic Content Industry & Post-Pandemic Challenges)
The sixth Arab Publishers' Conference concluded its work in the Emirate of Sharjah, the capital of culture, under the title of “Arabic Content Industry & Post-Pandemic Challenges”. The conference was generously sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council – Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, supported by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), co-organized by Arab Publishers’ .jpg)
Association (APA) and Emirates Publishers Association (EPA), with the support of Sharjah Book Authority(SBA) as a strategic partner, and in the presence of the League of Arab states (LAS)as a guest of honor since a panel/elite of speakers have participated on 2-3 November, 2022 A.D.
Among those in attendance were the representatives of National associations, Arab Book Fair Directors and Board Members of (APA), as well as a large group of publishers, intellectuals, litterateurs, journalists, jurists and library and information specialists.
The conference began its first day with speeches by Mrs. Iman Ben Chaibah, Vice-President of (EPA), Mr. Muhammad Rashad, President of (APA), then Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, and then Her Excellency Mrs. Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, Video-recorded words for His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League
The conference's themes were:
1. Theme I: Book Fairs in the Time of Digitization.
2. Theme II: The Impact of Digitization on Copyright in light of the pandemic between Challenges and Opportunities.
3. Theme III: The Evolution of the Publishing and Publisher Industry & Addressing the Skills Gap.
4. Theme IV: Opportunities to market post-pandemic Arabic books.
5. Theme V: The Implications of the Corona Crisis on the Publishing and Education Industry.
6. Theme VI: Reality of the Arabic language and the Influence of Contemporary Arabic Writers and Publishers thereon.
7. Theme VII: Future of Arab Libraries and Freedom of Expression.
8. Theme VIII: Global Supply Crisis and its impact on Publishing Sector.
The Conference concluded with the following recommendations:
1. Attention should be paid to digitally available Arabic content in terms of quality and cultural value. Special attention should be paid to highlighting the aesthetics of the Arabic language and making the content available in a way that serves its heritage and solidifies its place in the conscience of the reader at present and in the future.
2. The Interaction that authors hope to have via social media to better market their work, with a commitment to highlighting the complementary relationship to successful marketing by providing distinguished content to the author; the reader’s loyalty towards the Publishing House aimed at supporting the marketing of classifiers via distribution outlets and their alternatives; namely, Digital Platforms.
3. The interest in Arabic as a language for educating, learning, Training and qualifying in order to safeguard Arabic identity; to develop demand for Content in Arabic.
4. To endeavor among Arab book fair administrations and Governments to deal with Arabic content, first edited in Arabic or translated into Arabic from foreign languages, as a cultural product within the framework of an integrated strategic industry.
5. Governments in Arab countries seeking to deal with publishing and Content availability as a strategic industry of a vital nature.
6. APA shall be authorized and assigned to prepare outlook study for the future of Book Fairs in the digital world in the light of increasing digital audio platforms with the aim of reaching the optimal formula to balance between the paper book and digital Content industry.
7. APA shall be authorized and assigned to prepare integrated study, with the help of foreign experts to assess and study opportunities to benefit from the sale and purchase of digital Content copyright.
8. Working on finding sources of financing aimed at developing skills of workers in the publishing industry in cooperation with (IPA) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), similar organizations, entities specialized in this field.
9. APA shall be authorized and assigned to study the experiences of foreign publishers in various countries of the world, especially in India and the continent of Africa, with the aim with identifying what they get out of a market share in the books sector in the education and training sector.
10. Call for taking advantage of the COVID-19 experience to expand Distance and Online Study, with the necessary due investments in the virtual educational content industry.
11. To activate security cooperation among Arab Interior Ministers through the Arab League with the aim of blocking websites and electronic platforms that provide pirated workbooks.
12. Strengthening Criminal Sanctions and Civil Damages in the event of online books piracy as the accessibility of a book online may harm the interests of authors and publishers due to the large number of online customers benefiting from it by browsing or downloading.
13. To call upon Arab Countries to ratify the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Treaties under the name the WIPO Internet Treaty (WCT) (1996) or WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT).
14. Arab States shall be called to ratify with The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific organization (ALECSO) the new version of the Arab Convention on the Right of Author and Neighboring Rights and adopt the Model Law on the Right of Author and Neighboring Rights and the adoption of Model Law on the Right of Author and Neighboring Rights; for they shall provide digitally accessible classifiers with effective protection.
15. Seek to establish an electronic platform for Arabic Content, written and/or translated into Arabic, and provide access to it in each and every Arab countries, making agreements with concerned publishers so that Arabic Content is regionally and globally enabled while providing Platform with any and all facilitating users' freedom to surf, search and interact.
16. Treating the coronavirus pandemic as (a reality) rather than a force majeure, and preparing for similar scenarios shall in terms of impact be prepared, with the aim of making electronic content accessible as an alternative to paper books whose cost is rising due to the global rise in inflation, the economic contraction and the decline in the stock of paper factories, thus raising their cost to unprecedented Levels.
17. To pay constant attention to the training of the human element in the infrastructure of the police, customs, Prosecutors and judiciary in order to raise their skills and develop their expertise in dealing with intellectual property issues.
18. Greater support for Arab publishers in collaboration with Arab Governments, to avoid exiting from the digital publishing market as international entities are able to absorb the negative effects of growing piracy.
19. The empowerment of Freedom of opinion and expression with a commitment to cultural specificity of Arab countries.
20. APA shall be called for inclusion each and every person encroached on Arabic content on blacklists circulated to any and all departments of book fairs in Arab countries and governments in order to avoid dealing with pirates.
21. Sustainable development of publishers' skills and accessibility of cultural Content of Arabic language in the field of digitization, using and utilizing the experiences of Arab and foreign publishers experienced in the field of digital accessibility.
22. Monitoring of Global Logistics Service, ensuring benefit from the supply flow of materials required by the publishing industry, book shipping and Content accessibility.
23. Governments of Arab countries seek sustainable development for the publishing industry and the availability of digital content in Arabic.