Report of the Board of Directors of the Arab Publishers Association
Tenth Term
(2022-2025)
Colleagues, members of the Arab Publishers Association,
Greetings,
First, we would like to extend to all of you our sincerest expressions of thanks and gratitude for attending the Ordinary General Assembly marking the end of the tenth term (2022-2025). We truly appreciate the effort, time, and travel hardships you endured to be present, showing your commitment to supporting and backing your association.
Colleagues,
It is evident to your discernment that the tenth term (2022-2025) was one of the most difficult periods we have all experienced as Arab publishers. We were affected by the damages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the closure of supply chains, reflecting in higher book production costs. Shortly after, we were struck by the Russian-Ukrainian war, the repercussions of which are still ongoing. Then calamities continued, as the Arab publishing sector witnessed unprecedented challenges that shook our Arab world, foremost among these being the wars in Gaza and Lebanon, in addition to armed conflicts and internal strife in several Arab countries. All of this impacted the Arab publishing industry, making it more complex and difficult for publishing houses to continue fulfilling their cultural mission. Nevertheless, the Arab publisher demonstrated an exceptional ability to endure and adapt to these difficult circumstances, maintaining their role in carrying out their cultural mission toward the Arab nation.
Colleagues,
The Arab Publishers Association has been, and still is, the main incubator and umbrella for all Arab publishers, as it works tirelessly to overcome all the challenges and difficulties facing them, especially in the recent period, and this will only be achieved with the concerted efforts of all of us in order to reach the desired goals of the Arab publisher.
Once again, we thank all Arab publishers for their efforts and determination to achieve success despite the difficulties, hoping that the eleventh session will be a new beginning towards a brighter and more advanced future for the Arab publishing industry and Arab culture, and we take the opportunity to address God Almighty with sincere prayers to bless those who have left us in the past period, for they have all our appreciation, asking God to reward them well for their efforts and contribution to the service of the Association and Arab culture, and with their departure, we have lost wise voices and good hearts. May their fragrant biography remain immortal in our memory.
Colleagues,
Our meeting today came to brief you on what was achieved in the tenth session, which lasted for four years after the postponement of the General Assembly by a decision of the Board of Directors for six months and then another six months, in view of the political situation at the time, as well as to discharge the Board of Directors and prepare the ground for the election of a new Board of Directors to assume responsibility in the eleventh session.
The following is a breakdown of what has been accomplished in the previous period, as follows:
First: Official and Executive Meetings:
- Board of Directors Meetings:
• In 2022, (two meetings) were held in Cairo and Sharjah.
• In 2023, (one meeting) was held in Cairo, and a meeting could not be held in Beirut due to the lack of a legal quorum.
• In 2024, (one meeting) was held in Cairo, and a meeting in Beirut could not be held due to political unrest.
• In 2025, (one meeting) was held in Cairo, the Beirut meeting could not be held, in addition to the final meeting to be held in January 2026 to discuss the arrangements for the General Assembly.
Second: Association Membership:
- The number of new members who joined the Association in the tenth term reached 160 members, bringing the total number of Association members to 916. A decision was made to remove members who had not paid for the seventh and eighth terms, totaling 93 members, by a decision of the Board of Directors in January 2024.
- The number of local Associations joining the Association reached 19.
- Periodic electronic updates of the data of regional Associations and publishing houses that are members of the Association.
- Issuing the Arab Publishers Directory and distributing it in all Arab and international fairs, including full details of Arab publishing houses that are members of the Association.
Third: Financial and Administrative Affairs:
- Achieving an overall surplus by the end of 2025 amounting to $91,806 USD. Considering the total achieved during the tenth term, we find that the federation managed to achieve a surplus estimated at $170,612 USD (one hundred seventy thousand six hundred twelve dollars) compared to the ninth term, which achieved $111,992 USD.
- Following up on delinquent members, especially those overdue for two or more terms, as well as regional publishing federations since the start of the term on multiple occasions, and preparing reports on the federation''''''''s members and delivering them to the regional federations to regularly follow up on the payment of their members’ subscriptions.
Fourth: Arab Relations and International Representation:
1. The Arab Publishers Association participated in the cultural activities and intellectual property conferences held by the League of Arab States under official invitations during the session.
2. Meeting with Sheikha Bodor Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Federation, in January 2022, in Cairo to enhance cooperation between the two federations.
3. Attending the Sultan bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation Awards Ceremony on March 17, 2022.
4. Receiving an official invitation from the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in May 2022, to attend and participate in the celebration of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s twentieth year since its establishment in 2002.
5. A meeting with Dr. Salem Al-Malik, Secretary-General of the Islamic Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ISESCO) on the sidelines of the International Publishing and Book Fair in Rabat, Morocco, June 2022, to discuss ways of cooperation between the Federation and the Organization.
6. Meeting with the Moroccan Minister of Culture, Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, on the sidelines of the International Book and Publishing Fair in Rabat, Morocco, in June 2022, to discuss several issues, including: resolving the matter of visas for Syrian publishers, reconsidering the participation of Iraqi publishers, the future of the book fair in terms of venue and timing, and the participation of all types of knowledge without restriction unless they conflict with values, customs, and traditions.
7. Attending a seminar titled "Publishing in the Time of Corona" with the participation of Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, Mr. Abdel Jalil Nazem, former President of the Moroccan Publishers Association, and Mr. Tariq Sliki, President of the Moroccan Publishers Association, on the sidelines of the International Book and Publishing Fair in Rabat in June 2022.
8. Meeting with Dr. Mohamed Zine El Abidine, Head of the Culture and Communication Sector, on behalf of Dr. Salem Al-Malek, Secretary-General of the organization, Mr. Najib Al-Ghiati, Cultural Advisor to the Director-General, and Mr. Sami Al-Qamhawi, Director of Media and Institutional Communication, to discuss prospects for cooperation between the organization and the Association on the sidelines of the International Book and Publishing Fair in June 2022.
9. Meeting of the President of the Arab Publishers Association with His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, in the presence of Counselor Gamal Rushdy, the official spokesperson of the League, at the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo in July 2022, to invite the Arab League to participate as Guest of Honor at the Sixth Publishers Conference in the Emirate of Sharjah, to approve the request for the Arab Publishers Association to join the Arab Specialized Associations, and to present a project for the development of the publishing and knowledge industry in Mauritania, Somalia, Djibouti, and the Comoros Islands.
10. Meeting with the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, at the Presidential Headquarters in the city of Ramallah, Palestine, and awarding Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, the Medal of Culture, Science, and Arts – Level of Excellence, and presenting the Association`s shield to the Palestinian President, in September 2022.
11. Meeting with His Excellency the Palestinian Minister of Culture, Dr. Atef Abu Saif, on the sidelines of the Palestine International Book Fair, and presenting him with the Association Shield in September 2022, to request the exemption of participating publishers from rental fees.
12. Meeting of the Arab Publishers Association delegation, headed by Mr. Mohammed Rashad, President of the Association, with the Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, Dr. Ahmed Abdulaziz Al-Saadoun, on the sidelines of the Kuwait International Book Fair in November 2022, to express gratitude for exempting participating publishers in the Kuwait Fair, to reconsider the issue of censorship, and to approve the establishment of an association or Association for Kuwaiti publishers.
13. Meeting of the Arab Publishers Association delegation with the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Mohammed Barak Al-Mutair, on the sidelines of the Kuwait International Book Fair in November 2022, to discuss the topic of censorship in Kuwait, to reconsider the mechanisms for its implementation or cancellation, and to refer to the decision approving the establishment of an association or Association for Kuwaiti publishers.
14. The meeting of the delegation of the Arab Publishers Association, chaired by Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Association, with His Excellency Minister Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, Minister of Information and Culture, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs in the State of Kuwait, on the sidelines of the Kuwait International Book Fair, and presenting him with the Association ''''''''s shield in November 2022, to express gratitude for exempting the publishers participating in the Kuwait Fair, emphasize the necessity of implementing the new censorship law, and to "clear" all books that do not violate the fundamental principles of protecting the reader and their country, as well as to reconsider books that have been banned for past years, to allow them circulation, whether locally or in the Arab world, and to highlight the need to organize a law to establish Association or association for Kuwaiti publishers to serve as an umbrella for Kuwaiti publishers.
15. The meeting of the Association President Mr. Mohamed Rashad, Secretary-General Mr. Bashar Shbaro, and Mr. Saud Al-Mansour with the Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Press, Publications, and Publishing Sector in Kuwait, Mr. Lafi Al-Subaie, in November 2022, to agree on some points in order to re-evaluate the books participating in the Kuwait Fair and review the standards of book censorship.
16. Participation in a seminar entitled "The Economic Reality... Publishing Industry" held at the lecture hall of the Kuwait Book Fair, November 2022.
17. Invitation from the Arab Publishers Association to participate in the first annual conference of the Watan (Nation) Fund, under the title "A Vibrant National Identity," under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Member of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Watan Fund in the United Arab Emirates, December 2022.
18. Participation in the press conference held by the former Egyptian Minister of Culture, Dr. Nevin Al-Kilani, to reveal the full details of the 54th Cairo International Book Fair, and to conduct an open dialogue with the Chairman of the Association, January 2023.
19. Meeting with the Secretary-General of the International Publishers Association, José Borghino, and Ms. Jessica Singer, head of the Rights Committee at the association, in January 2023, to get to know the board members and learn about mechanisms and methods of cooperation with the association.
20. Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Association, participated in managing a seminar titled "The Feasibility of Joining the Marrakesh Treaty for Persons with Visual Impairments," held on February 15, 2023, at the Supreme Council of Culture Hall at the Ministry of Culture in Cairo.
21. The Association participated in a dialogue session entitled "Professional Associations and Their Impact on the Development of the Publishing Industry," held on the sidelines of the Muscat International Book Fair 2023. The session was chaired by Mr. Ahmed bin Marhoon Al Bus''''''''aydi, with the participation of speakers Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, and Mr. Bashar Shabaro, Secretary-General of the Arab Publishers Association, in February 2023.
22. The Association participated in the conference "Recent Judicial Trends in Protecting Intellectual Property Rights in Both Traditional and Digital Environments," which took place from March 5-7, 2023, organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Justice in coordination with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
23. Mr. Mohamed Rashad, representing the Arab Publishers Association, spoke at the seminar "Publishing Challenges: Issues and Solutions," held on March 21, 2023, in the Delegates Hall at the Alexandria Library Conference Center.
24. Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Association, met with His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Ould Ammer, Director-General of the Arab Organization for Education, Culture, and Science (ALECSO), at the organization''''''''s headquarters, on the sidelines of the Tunis International Book Fair held in April 2023. The two parties discussed areas of cooperation between the organization and the Association and presented the project for developing the publishing and knowledge industry in Mauritania, Somalia, Djibouti, and the Comoros. They also presented the final document of the project for developing quality in publishing houses in Arab countries.
25. Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, met with the Minister of Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hayat Al-Qarmazi, on the sidelines of the 2023 Tunis International Book Fair. During the meeting in May 2023, the Association president raised several issues intersecting with the interests of Arab and Tunisian publishers, including a request for approval to exempt participating publishers from rental fees at the Tunis International Book Fair. Mr. Rashad also presented a report on the main shortcomings of the fair to help avoid them.
26. The Association participated in the ''''''''International Conference on Arab Publishing and Creative Industries'''''''' in Abu Dhabi in May 2023.
27. The Association participated in the seminar ''''''''How to Achieve Professionalism in Publishing,'''''''' which was held on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in May 2023, with the presence of Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, Her Excellency Dr. Hayat Al-Qarmzi, Tunisian Minister of Culture, Mr. Abdullah Al-Kaabi, President of the UAE Publishers Association, and Mr. Ahmed Badr, General Manager of Dar Al-Shorouk in Egypt.
28. The Association participated as a speaker in the seminar ''''''''Freedom and Information Security and Intellectual Property Rights in the Spread of ChatGPT Technology,'''''''' upon the official invitation of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information in Cairo, which was held in May 2023. The Association assigned Dr. Khaled Ezzab, Scientific Advisor to the Arab Publishers Association, to attend the seminar.
29. The Association participated in the third series of virtual seminars organized by the Arab Thought Foundation on ''''''''Artificial Intelligence,'''''''' upon the official invitation of the Arab Thought Foundation in July 2023. The Association assigned Dr. Khaled Ezzab, Scientific Advisor to the Arab Publishers Association, to attend the seminars.
30. His Excellency the Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh, head of the Palestinian government, received a delegation from the Arab Publishers Association, led by Mr. Mohammad Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, along with the board members of the Association participating in the Palestine International Book Fair, on September 9, 2023. The meeting was attended by Dr. Atef Abu Seif, former Palestinian Minister of Culture, and Mr. Abdul Salam Attari, Chairman of the Fair''''''''s Organizing Committee. Mr. Mohammad Rashad presented an initiative on behalf of the Arab Publishers Association to support the National Library with publications from Arab publishers, in solidarity with the State of Palestine''''''''s efforts to establish the National Library.
31. Participating by invitation in the works of the Twelfth Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World, under the slogan ''''''''Towards the Renewal of Cultural Work in the Islamic World,'''''''' which was held in Doha on September 25-26, 2023. It was organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in cooperation with the Qatari Ministry of Culture, with the attendance of ministers of cultural affairs from many member states of ISESCO, in addition to representatives of regional and international organizations working in cultural and heritage fields. The Association ''''''''s speech included proposals for cooperation with the organization.
32. The President of the Association, Mr. Mohamed Rashad, participated in the professional program of the Riyadh International Book Fair after receiving an official invitation in September 2023.
33. Her Excellency, the former Algerian Minister of Culture, currently the Minister of National Solidarity, Family and Women''''''''s Affairs, Dr. Souria Mouloudji, received a delegation of members of the Board of Directors of the Arab Publishers Association, headed by Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Association, and Mr. Bashar Shabaro, Secretary-General, at the Culture Palace (Moufdi Zakaria) on the sidelines of the International Book Fair in Algeria in October 2023, to discuss ways of cooperation between both parties.
34. A meeting of a delegation of the Board of Directors of the Arab Publishers Association with His Excellency the Minister of Information, Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, and Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, on the sidelines of the Kuwait International Book Fair to ease censorship mechanisms, in November 2023.
35. Participation in the press conference held by the former Egyptian Minister of Culture, Dr. Nevin Al-Kilani, to reveal the full details of the 55th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair, January 2024.
36. Meeting with the Libyan Minister of Culture on the sidelines of the Cairo International Book Fair at the Libyan Ministry of Culture''''''''s pavilion to discuss the possibility of holding the Tripoli International Book Fair and setting a suitable date, February 2024.
37. Participation in the professional meeting of the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language with the Arab Publishers Association and heads of regional Association s, on the sidelines of the Cairo International Book Fair at the Radisson Blu Hotel, February 2024.
38. Mr. Mohamed Rashad''''''''s participation in the conference presenting and introducing the Arabic edition of the book "Xi Jinping on Governance and Administration," organized by the Foreign Languages Press, the Europe and Africa Media Center affiliated with the China International Media Group (China Today Magazine Press), and the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, in coordination with the Beit Al-Hikma Group for Cultural Industries in Egypt, in April 2024.
39. Mr. Mohamed Rashad participated as a representative of the Association, speaking at a seminar entitled "Digital Technologies and Statistics: Developing the Global Publishing Industry and Creating Mutual Opportunities," on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, May 2024.
40. Mr. Mohamed Rashad met with His Excellency Dr. Murad Al-Rifi, Director of the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts, at the Institute''''''''s headquarters, in response to the Institute''''''''s invitation and its desire to open avenues for future cooperation with the Association, May 2024.
41. The Arab Publishers Association participated in and sponsored a seminar entitled "Publishing in the Era of the Digital Revolution and Its Impact on the Book Market," organized by Al-Mada Foundation for Media, Culture, and Arts, in collaboration with the Association of Publishers and Booksellers in Iraq. The Association was represented by Mr. Haitham Hafez, Chairman of the Professional Development Committee, August 2024.
42. The Association participated by official invitation from the UNESCO Office for the Maghreb region in the regional seminar held from November 28-29, 2024, entitled "Democratizing Science," attended by colleague Mr. Mohamed Jabroun, Secretary-General of the Moroccan Publishers Association, representing the Arab Publishers Association.
43. Attending the press conference announcing the launch of the 56th Cairo International Book Fair in 2025.
44. The Association, represented by its president, participated in a panel discussion on the publishing industry in the Arab world at the Qatari Ministry of Culture pavilion at the 56th Cairo International Book Fair in February 2025.
45. The Association, represented by its president, participated as a member of the committee discussing the doctoral dissertation submitted by researcher Mina Ashraf Maqar, titled ''''''''The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Book Marketing: A Comparative Study of Arab and Foreign Publishers,'''''''' December 2025.
Fifth: Official Meetings:
1. Meeting of the Association President with the Egyptian Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, and former Minister of Culture Dr. Inas Abdel Dayem, at the Association ''''''''s pavilion at the Cairo International Book Fair, January 2022.
2. Meeting of the Association President with Ms. Badr Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association, at the Sharjah Book Authority pavilion, at the Cairo International Book Fair, January 2022.
3. Meeting of the Association President with the former Algerian Minister of Culture, Ms. Wafaa Shaalal, at the Cairo International Book Fair, January 2022.
4. Meeting of the Association President with officials from several Arab book fairs, including: Abu Dhabi – Bahrain – Sharjah, at the Cairo International Book Fair, January 2022.
5. Attendance at the opening of the Sheikh Zayed International Book Fair 2022.
6. Participation in the opening of the Tunisia International Book Fair, attended by the President of the Republic, Mr. Kais Saied, in its 2023 session.
7. The Association President''''''''s meeting with the Egyptian Prime Minister, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, and the former Minister of Culture, Dr. Nevin Kilani, at the Association ''''''''s pavilion at the Cairo International Book Fair, January 2023 and 2024.
8. The Association participated in attending the opening of the Istanbul International Arabic Book Fair in 2023.
9. The Association participated in the opening of the Egypt Pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in its 2024 session, attended by the former Minister of Culture, Dr. Nevin Kilani, Ambassador Sherif Mahmoud Issa, Egypt''''''''s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, and Dr. Ahmed Bahi El-Din Al-Assasi.
10. The Association participated in the opening of the Doha International Book Fair for its 2024 edition, attended by the Prime Minister, Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, the Crown Prince of the Sultanate of Oman, Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth of Oman, Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Former Egyptian Minister of Culture Dr. Nevine El-Kilani, Lebanese Minister of Culture Mohammad Mortada, and former Qatari Minister of Culture, Director General of the Qatar National Library, Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al Kuwari.
11. The Association participated in the opening of the Doha International Book Fair for its 2025 edition, and an introductory meeting was held with H.E. Minister Mr. Emad Hamdan, Palestinian Minister of Culture and Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Qatar, with the Arab Publishers Association at the Palestine pavilion in the fair. It was agreed to organize a cultural initiative, through the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, to send a convoy of books and donate a number of publications after the war, to support publishing houses, public libraries, cultural centers, and Palestinian universities affected by the genocide carried out by the occupation army against the people of Gaza.
Sixth - Benefits for Publishers:
1. Waiving the new customs clearance procedures for books of publishers participating in the Algiers International Book Fair, 2025.
2. Exempting publishers participating in the Nouakchott International Book Fair from visa fees, and supporting publishers by purchasing the remaining books of participating publishers at the fair, 2025.
3. Approving the extension of the payment period for publishers at the Amman International Book Fair by 8 days without penalty, 2025, and deferring the payment of participation fees for members of the Association at the Doha Fair 2025, Sharjah Fair 2024, Algiers International Book Fair 2024-2025, and Abu Dhabi Fair 2022, due to the exceptional circumstances faced by Arab publishers and the difficulty in transferring booth rental fees, 2025.
4. Exempting Palestinian, Lebanese, and Sudanese publishers from booth rental fees at the Sharjah International Book Fair 2024 and the Algiers International Book Fair 2025, and allowing the extension of the payment period for rental fees for Palestinian, Lebanese, and Sudanese publishers only, until the Kuwait International Book Fair, in light of the circumstances their countries are experiencing and the permanent halt of their businesses.
5. Allocating a free booth based on the request of the Arab Publishers Association, with an area of 24 square meters exempt from fees, and hosting two Palestinian publishers to join their colleagues at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, enabling them to showcase their publications and continue their work. The management of the Abu Dhabi fair has also agreed to waive previous obligations on Sudanese publishers, 2024.
6. The management of the Amman International Book Fair took the initiative to grant a 50% discount on rental fees to Lebanese publishers and agreed to the request of the Arab Publishers Association to extend the discount to Palestinian and Sudanese publishers, in addition to allowing them to benefit from the discount granted to publishers who are members of the Association, in recognition of the difficult circumstances they are going through and the deteriorating living and economic conditions in their countries, 2024.
7. Exemption of all publishing houses from booth rental fees at the Doha International Book Fair, the International Book Salon in Algeria, the Rabat International Book Fair, the Palestine International Book Fair, the Kuwait International Book Fair, and the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, during the years 2022 and 2023.
8. Communication with the administrations of Arab book fairs, ministries, and relevant authorities to grant discounts to publishers on booth rental fees. The administration of the Amman International Book Fair kindly responded by granting an additional discount to a Association member and agreed to reduce booth fees to $100 instead of $150 (2022 and 2023). The administration of the Tunis International Book Fair in its 2023 session granted a 30% discount. Also, the initiative of the Lebanon International Book Fair administration granted a 25% discount to Association member, and the Alexandria Book Fair granted a 20% discount for 2023 and 25% for 2024 and 2025 for Association members.
9. An agreement was reached with the Cairo International Book Fair to offer special prices for members of the Arab Publishers Association over previous years, starting at $120 instead of the announced price of $220. It was also agreed with the fair administration to allow publishers from Lebanon to pay the participation fee in Egyptian pounds during the fair, and for publishers from Iraq and Libya to pay during the fair to facilitate their participation. This request was approved as it helped reduce expenses and the burden of bank transfers, with the guarantee of the Arab Publishers Association.
10. Communicate with the Director General of Internal Media at the Ministry of Media in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reconsider the new procedures for "clearing" books from Arab publishing houses outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
11. Participate in the Frankfurt, London, and Bologna book fairs under a pavilion bearing the name of the Arab Publishers Association, hold meetings for publishers inside the pavilion for free, and also showcase publications suitable for translation or rights sales, along with summaries of the books in English and French, during the years 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. The Association also organized a seminar titled "Challenges and Prospects for Distributing Arab Books in Europe" on the sidelines of the Frankfurt Book Fair in its 2025 edition. Several meetings were also held inside the Association ''''''''s pavilion at the fair, including: a meeting between Arab and Azerbaijani publishers in cooperation with Entrotima Agency, and a meeting between Arab and Turkish publishers (B2B personal meetings).
12. Communicate with the management of the Algiers International Book Fair to resolve the issue of flight reservations for Arab publishers, due to the limited number of flights to Algeria. The fair organizers kindly responded by providing a larger aircraft, an A330 type with 251 seats, in March 2022.
13. Communicate with the Saudi Minister of Culture, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, to clarify some points and requests made by publishers to participate in the Riyadh International Book Fair in August 2022.
14. Conduct a PCR test for all publishers participating in the Doha Fair during 2022 free of charge, with the costs of quarantine covered for any publisher found positive during the quarantine period.
15. Most fairs should commit to giving priority for participation to members of the Arab Publishers Association, followed by members of regional Associations.
Seventh - The Association''''''''s Activities with Organizations and Institutions:
1- Cooperation with the Arab League:
Continuing the efforts exerted by the Arab Publishers Association, which increase the association''''''''s connection with the Arab League (established in 1962), and based on the decision of the League''''''''s Cultural Committee, the Arab Publishers Association was granted membership in the Forum of Specialized Arab Federations organized by the Arab League in August 2022.
The association participated in the seventh session of the Forum of Specialized Arab Federations, under the patronage of the Secretary-General of the Arab League, from July 29 to August 1, 2023, in Salalah, Sultanate of Oman. Mr. Mohamed Hadi, Chairman of the Dispute Resolution Committee, attended representing the association.
Cooperation with the League continued through various activities, across multiple committees and sectors within the League, and the association was invited to participate in all conferences related to intellectual property rights and cultural activities. Here are some of the cooperation activities:
- Participation in the celebrations of World Intellectual Property Day under the theme ''''''''Intellectual Property and Youth: Innovation for a Better Future,'''''''' attended by Mr. Waleed Mustafa, Chairman of the Arab Relations Committee at the Arab Publishers Association, representing the Association, May 2022.
- World Intellectual Property Day celebration, under the theme ''''''''Intellectual Property and the Sustainable Development Goals: Building Our Common Future Through Innovation and Creativity,'''''''' attended by Dr. Ahmed Sayed Ahmed, member of the Intellectual Property Committee of the Arab Publishers Association, representing the Association, April 2024.
- Participation of the Arab League in the 6th Arab Publishers Conference as a guest of honor through a recorded video message by H.E. Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League.
- Invitation from the Association to attend the Arab Sustainability Day events under the theme ''''''''Pioneers of Sustainability in the Arab Region,'''''''' February 2023.
- Participation in the ''''''''Cultural Celebration of the Arabic Language'''''''' organized by the General Secretariat of the Arab League on December 18, 2023, at the General Secretariat headquarters, on the occasion of World Arabic Language Day, December 2023 and 2024.
- Invitation from the Association to participate in the celebration of World Intellectual Property Day under the theme ''''''''Intellectual Property and Music: Sensing the Rhythm of Intellectual Property,'''''''' and an invitation to attend the International Conference on Combating Islamophobia under the theme ''''''''Islamophobia: Concept and Practice in Light of Current Global Conditions,'''''''' as well as an invitation to attend the Arab League Cultural Salon (September session) titled ''''''''Language and Identity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,'''''''' 2025.
2- The Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO):
The President of the Arab Publishers Association, Mr. Mohammed Rashad, met with His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Ould Amar, Director General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), at the organization''''''''s headquarters on the sidelines of the Tunis International Book Fair on April 29, 2023. The two parties discussed avenues of cooperation between the organization and the Arab Publishers Association, and reviewed a project for developing the publishing and knowledge industry in Mauritania, Somalia, Djibouti, and the Comoros. This is a project that the Association seeks to implement under the sponsorship of the Arab League. The final document of the project aimed at improving the quality of publishing houses in Arab countries was presented, and the importance of establishing quality standards in publishing houses was addressed. An agreement was signed on an action program to implement this project in the future.
Additionally, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development in Kuwait was approached with a joint letter from ALECSO and the Arab Publishers Association to contribute to funding the project for developing the publishing and knowledge industry.
3- Islamic World Organization for Education, Science and Culture (ISESCO):
- The Arab Publishers Association participated in the work of the 12th Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World under the theme "Towards Renewing Cultural Work in the Islamic World" in Doha on September 25-26, 2023. The conference was organized by the organization in cooperation with the Qatari Ministry of Culture, with the attendance of Ministers of Cultural Affairs from many member countries of ISESCO. The discussions focused on renewing joint cultural work and ways to enhance and develop cooperation between Islamic countries in this regard. Mr. Mohamed Rashad delivered a speech at the conference in which he presented a project to build partnership relations among publishers in the Islamic world and proposed a project to develop the publishing and knowledge industry in Islamic countries. The project targeted the following countries: Mauritania, Somalia, Djibouti, and the Comoros, September 2023.
- The Departments of Partnerships and International Cooperation and Culture and Communication also held a meeting with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the Arab Publishers Association on May 21, 2024, via video conferencing, to discuss ways of cooperation and partnership between the two sides in areas of common interest.
The meeting discussed several areas of cooperation between the parties, most notably the establishment of a database of publishers in the Islamic world, organizing and jointly participating in book fairs held in ISESCO member states, cooperation in publishing and translation, promoting the spread of the Arabic language among non-Arabic speaking communities, protecting cultural and literary heritage, and promoting it within the Islamic world and beyond through publishing media, building the capacities of publishers in the Islamic world, and agreeing to continue coordination to sign a memorandum of understanding and an action plan between the two sides.
4- Arabic Union Catalog :
Building on the approach the Association has taken in recent years to assert its presence within cultural entities and institutions at both the Arab and international levels, in recognition of its role in promoting Arab culture, the Arab Publishers Association has joined the Board of Directors of the Arabic Union Catalog, which was established by the King Abdulaziz Public Library in 2005 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Mohamed Rashad, the President of the Association, attended the first Board meeting held on November 28-29, 2024, as a representative of the Association to discuss ways of cooperation between the Association and the Arabic Union Catalog to advance the Arab publishing industry. This would be achieved by maximizing the returns from distributing Arab publishers’ works to libraries and cultural institutions through the launch of a joint platform that brings together knowledge and cultural institutions in the Arab world to monitor and make Arab intellectual production accessible, promote the works of Arab publishers, ensure their circulation among researchers and libraries that acquire them regularly through cataloging their publications, and enhance their sales.
The officials in charge of the Arabic Union Catalog have agreed to grant a special 50% discount to members of the Arab Publishers Association, provided they join the Catalog membership.
5- The Institute of Arabic Manuscripts:
Through a generous initiative by Dr. Murad Al-Rifi, Director of the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Arab Publishers Association and the Institute, with the following objectives:
- Establishing a joint website on the Internet aimed at publishing a documented bibliography of all manuscripts that have been printed since the Arabs became familiar with printing until now, in order to prevent the duplication of manuscript editions published by publishing houses, and to unify efforts in this regard, with the Institute providing the bibliographic materials.
- Each publisher will add the new manuscripts they are working on to the website, giving them priority in publishing the manuscript and preventing the duplication of manuscript editions.
- Preparing a database of the new generation of editors trained by the Institute and holding academic degrees that qualify them to work on editing manuscripts.
- The two sides collaborate on monitoring important manuscripts that have not yet been verified, nominating them for publishers.
In this context, a strategic partnership agreement was re-signed on April 9, 2025, between the Arab Publishers Association, represented by Mr. Mohamed Rashad, the Association ''''''''s President, and the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts affiliated with the Arab Organization for Education, Culture, and Science (ALECSO), one of the organizations of the Arab League, represented by Dr. Ali Abdullah Al-Naqeem, the Institute''''''''s Director. This aims to establish a digital portal for printed Arab heritage, preserve Arab heritage, and facilitate access to it in the digital age.
The data collected from various concerned parties and some publishing houses is being uploaded to the site in preparation for its launch.
6- Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation:
A cooperation protocol was signed between the Arab Publishers Association and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, within the framework of both parties’ interest in strengthening ties and cooperation between them, and in pursuit of building a partnership through a number of projects and programs that achieve the objectives of both parties in the field of Arab publishing.
The activation of the protocol’s provisions began with presenting the quality project in the publishing industry and initiating it as the forefront of this cooperation, by holding two online courses for publishers and a third course at the Knowledge Summit conference for any Arab publishers wishing to attend this summit to benefit from it and complete the program.
The foundation also organized a virtual training workshop on the Zoom platform on "Integrating Global Standards of Human Knowledge, Innovation, and Artificial Intelligence," on Tuesday, November 25, 2025.
7- Samawi Platform:
A strategic partnership was signed between the Arab Publishers Association and Samawi Platform on July 14, 2025. Through this partnership, the Association provides its studies and reports, both in print and electronically, on the platform for a fee that benefits the Association. This aims to enhance access to knowledge and specialized studies in the field of publishing, support researchers and those interested in the publishing industry by providing reliable sources and valuable information, and strengthen the role of the Arab Publishers Association as a key reference in the field of Arab publishing.
8- Cooperation with the International Publishers Association (IPA):
- Circulating the periodic letters of the International Publishers Association, which focus on cooperation and participation with Arab publishers.
- Supporting the International Charter Seminar to Promote the Sustainability and Resilience of the Publishing Sector (INSPIRE) held on February 17, 2022, via Zoom, which included the main topics discussed in INSPIRE workshops on priority issues, including copyright, freedom of publishing, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, technology and innovation, as well as digitization and its impact and threats to copyright and the publishing industry.
- Supporting the development of the International Publishers Association Academy, launched on March 7, 2022, developed under the patronage of the Sharjah Book Authority.
- Circulating the IPA Innovation Award in its first and second editions, which aims to celebrate groups or individuals who apply innovative practices in publishing.
- Circulation of the IPA Prix Voltaire award for the years: 2022, 2023, and 2024.
- Circulation of the WIPO International Award 2023.
- Circulation of the International Publishers Association report on the future of book fairs, which presents the results of a new survey by the International Publishers Association on the publishing industry’s perspective on book fairs, March 2023.
- Circulation of the seminars held by the International Publishers Association to its members, such as a seminar on saving copyright in June 2023, a seminar on artificial intelligence in September 2023, an online seminar on artificial intelligence in February 2024, and a webinar on AI licensing and fair training in November 2024.
- The International Publishers Association held the Third Intellectual Property Conference titled “The Future of Intellectual Property: Legislation, Challenges, Opportunities” on January 27, 2025, on the sidelines of the Cairo International Book Fair.
- Participation in the “Digitizing Creativity” conference on April 28, 2025, on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, attended by: Ms. Gavantha Jupava, President of the International Publishers Association, Mr. José Borhino, Secretary-General of the association, and Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association.
- Circulation of the International Publishers Association''''''''s invitation to hold a virtual session titled "Generative AI Training with Pirated Data," May 2025.
- Circulation of the International Publishers Association Champion Award, which aims to honor individuals who have pushed traditional boundaries in their careers, awarded to Engineer Ibrahim Al-Muallem in 2024.
9- Sixth Arab Publishers Conference:
The Sixth Arab Publishers Conference was held in the Emirate of Sharjah, the Capital of Culture, under the title "The Arab Content Industry and Post-Pandemic Challenges," under the gracious patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, with support from Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association, and jointly organized by the Arab Publishers Association and the Emirati Publishers Association, with the Sharjah Book Authority supporting as a strategic partner, and the League of Arab States attending as guest of honor. The conference featured a distinguished group of speakers over the two days of November 2-3, 2022. Among the attendees were representatives of local Associations, directors of Arabic book fairs, members of the Board of Directors of the Arab Publishers Association, as well as a large group of publishers, thinkers, writers, media professionals, legal experts, and specialists in the field of libraries and information. The conference was organized around the following main topics:
1. First Axis: The Book Fair in the Era of ''''''''Digitalization''''''''.
2. Second Axis: The Impact of ''''''''Digitalization'''''''' on Copyright in Light of the Pandemic: Challenges and Opportunities.
3. Third Axis: Developing the Publishing Industry and Publishers and Addressing the Skills/Gaps.
4. Fourth Axis: Opportunities for Marketing the Arab Book Post-Pandemic.
5. Fifth Axis: The Consequences of the Coronavirus Crisis on the Publishing Industry and Education.
6. Sixth Axis: The Reality of the Arabic Language and the Influence of Contemporary Arab Writers and Publishers on It.
7. Seventh Axis: The Future of Arab Libraries and Freedom of Expression.
8. Eighth Axis: The Global Supply Crisis and Its Impact on the Publishing Sector.
The conference concluded with twenty-three recommendations aimed at supporting the Arab publishing world and all readers and stakeholders in the publishing industry.
10- Website:
Continuing to update the website and member data, adding publications to the site for each publisher up to 100 publications, making them available through a multi-information search engine, adding their social media pages to the website and app, and communicating with members through social media (Facebook – Twitter – Instagram). The number of members participating with their publications on the website has reached 145 publishing houses from 21 countries with a total of 5,942 publications.
11- Studies by the Arab Publishers Association:
• Study ''''''''Reading in the Arab World: Trends and Inclinations'''''''' 2023.
The Arab Publishers Association launched a study on the reality and future of Arab publishing, through which publishers can determine the state of reading and, consequently, their publishing plans. This study primarily focuses on digital reading due to its rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to print reading. It also highlights the reader in the Arab world as the ''''''''target of publishing,'''''''' with an emphasis on their trends and inclinations.
• Study “Publishing in the Arab World... In the Time of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Its Consequences” 2020-2021.
The Arab Publishers Association issued a study on “Publishing in the Arab World... In the Time of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Its Consequences.” The study addressed the reality of publishing in the Arab world during the years 2020-2021, in light of the challenges faced by publishing as a result of the stagnation caused by the spread of the Coronavirus. The study covered publishing through several topics, including digital publishing and reading, universities and publishing and the Arabic language. It also touched on language academies and the decline of their role in supporting the Arabic language and the publishing movement. The study also monitored the increasing pace of publishing in Arabic outside the region in recent years, and it did not omit dedicating a section to the state of publishing in each Arab country individually.
• Study "The Professional Publisher: Essential Approaches to the Publishing Industry" 2025.
The Arab Publishers Association issued a study entitled "The Professional Publisher: Essential Approaches to the Publishing Industry," which answers several questions, including: What is the publishing industry? Is there a publishing industry in the Arab region? What are the components of a professional publisher in the Arab concept? Who is the professional publisher? What are their tools of work? Are there clear standards for publishing? And what are the new publishing spaces?
The study addresses a number of topics, including: books and the global publishing movement, interactive books and digital publishing requirements, audiobooks, children''''''''s books, books and education, types of publishing houses, book marketing, book covers, the publishing industry and the author, ChatGPT technology, reasons for the decline of Arab publishing movement, the relationship between author, publisher, and reader, publishing economics, the importance of the publisher''''''''s brand, and it emphasized intellectual property rights of publishers and authors, content creation and access, images and their rights, artificial intelligence and intellectual property, rights violations, used books, rare books, and standards for managing publishing houses.
• Study of the publishing movement in the Arab world (2022-2023).
The Arab Publishers Association issued a study titled "The Publishing Movement in the Arab World 2022-2023". The study conducted a comprehensive survey of the publishing movement in 22 Arab countries and provided statistical samples from a number of Arab publishing houses, in addition to its analysis of the nature of publishing in each Arab country, accompanied by comprehensive data on the number of published books. The study pointed to the contradiction in the book publishing movement in the Arab world, between the increase in book titles, which exceeded 90,000 titles in 2023—a remarkable development in the publishing economics field—and the limited distribution of some books, whose print runs did not exceed 100 copies. Hence, the study concluded with a recommendation to prepare independent studies on publishing challenges based on analytical foundations of numbers and sales volume. The study also highlighted the reliance of Arab universities on supplies from European and American platforms, which undermines the movement of university book publishing and poses a threat to the Arab publishing sector. For the first time, the study included Djibouti and the Comoros Islands among the list of countries where the publishing movement is on the rise.
Eighth - The most important activities of the Association committees:
1- Committee for Amending the Basic Law and Internal Regulations:
The committee is responsible for making the necessary amendments to the provisions of the internal regulations in order to facilitate the various activities of the Association, to align with the Association’s growth and to improve the performance of the board of directors, making it more effective, active, and positive in decision-making when necessary.
2- Intellectual Property Committee:
The committee has achieved significant success through the specific and clear professional measures it has adopted in examining, classifying, and following up on complaints. The committee''''''''s reports have gained the trust of several governmental and judicial bodies. In cooperation with the Secretariat, the committee has resolved some complaints amicably and by mutual agreement between the parties before resorting to imposing fines or disciplinary penalties.
- During the tenth session, the committee examined 19 cases compared to 50 in the previous session, and it issued its decisions on all claims based on the investigations conducted. If there is any implication in these lower numbers, it indicates an increasing awareness among publishers regarding intellectual property rights, and that the committee has become a trusted body in the publishing and cultural sector, serving as a reference for disputing parties, whether they are publishing houses or authors.
- The Secretariat follows up on the decisions issued by the committee and takes the necessary measures to ensure their implementation, including any financial fines or other measures that may be stipulated in these decisions.
3- Arab and International Exhibitions Committee:
- Continuous communication with the directors of Arab exhibitions during the session to follow up on the conditions and procedures for publishers'''''''' participation in the exhibitions and to facilitate any obstacles in the participation process.
- Conducted an electronic survey on the participation of publishers, members of the Arab Publishers Association, in the Muscat International Book Fair, with 129 publishers participating in the survey, March 2022.
- Conducted an electronic survey on the participation of publishers, members of the Arab Publishers Association, in the Cairo International Book Fair 2023, with 118 publishers participating in the survey, February 2023.
- Supporting several publishing houses that were prevented from participating in certain exhibitions without providing reasons.
- Appointing a general coordinator for each exhibition by the Exhibitions Committee to follow up and resolve publishers'''''''' issues during each exhibition.
- Issuing and updating a monthly list of Arab and international exhibitions and distributing it to the members, as well as issuing a report on each exhibition highlighting its positives and negatives for the members and exhibition administrations. Additionally, commending good and supportive services and decisions for the benefit of publishers, and removing any obstacles in subsequent sessions.
- Organizing an open dialogue with the Association members on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in May 2023, where participants discussed their issues and suggestions with both the President of the Association and the Secretary-General.
- Holding a dialogue seminar on translation from Arabic to German, participated in by Mr. Stefan Feinder and Ms. Larissa Binder, at the Association’s pavilion at the Frankfurt International Book Fair in October 2024.
- Allocating a free pavilion for the Arab Publishers Association at the Cairo International Book Fair from 2022 to 2026, to introduce the Association’s activities and display reports of its committees’ work.
- Allocating a free pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in its 2023 session, covering an area of 12 meters, and hosting the pavilion’s coordinator.
- Allocating a free pavilion for the Arab Publishers Association with an area of 9 meters in the international exhibition hall at the Beijing International Book Fair; this initiative represents a cooperation effort between the Association and the fair in coordination with the “House of Wisdom for Culture” group. This also reflects the significant support the Arab Publishers Association provides to Arab-Chinese cooperation and the Association’s role in this flourishing collaboration over past years, June 2024.
Professional Training Program for Arab Publishers:
Offering a professional training program for Arab publishers in collaboration with the Arab Publishers Association and the Frankfurt International Book Fair, with the support of the Abu Dhabi Center for Arabic Language, through the ''''''''Zoom'''''''' program. The first session, titled ''''''''How to Open New Markets,'''''''' was held on 16/2/2023. The second session, titled ''''''''Important Tips for Knowing Your Rights as a Publisher,'''''''' was held on 23/2/2023. The third session, titled ''''''''A World of Books,'''''''' took place on 2/3/2023. The fourth session, titled ''''''''Arab Literary Works on the International Level,'''''''' was held at the London Book Fair on 30/3/2023. The fifth session, titled ''''''''What''''''''s New at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair,'''''''' was held on 16/5/2023. The sixth session, titled ''''''''A Dialogue Session with Markus Dohle, Honorary CEO of Penguin Random House,'''''''' was held on 22/6/2023. The seventh session, titled ''''''''The Work of Literary Agents,'''''''' took place on 31/8/2023. The eighth and final session, titled ''''''''Important Tips for Knowing Your Rights as a Publisher,'''''''' was held on 14/9/2023.
We All Read Campaign:
The Arab Publishers Association organized an advertising campaign exclusively for the members of the Arab Publishers Association during the 55th Cairo International Book Fair in 2024, in support of its members under the slogan "We All Read." The aim was to facilitate their participation in the fair and achieve the desired goals for them. The Association fully funded the campaign, printed a catalog and posters featuring the campaign''''''''s slogan, and distributed them to all the publishing booths that participated.
Meetings of the Committee of Directors of Arab Book Fairs January 2025:
Cooperation with the directors of Arab book fairs continued. In this context, at the invitation of the Arab Publishers Association and the Egyptian General Book Organization, two meetings were held on the sidelines of the Cairo International Book Fair in January of 2023 and 2025, held at the Egypt International Exhibitions Center, to discuss and study ways to avoid scheduling conflicts between Arab fairs, especially those in the same geographic area, to examine the causes and justifications for rising rental prices, to study the issue of giving priority to Arab publishers without distributors, bookstores, or platforms, and to improve the participation of publishers in Arab fairs and remove recurring or urgent obstacles at some fairs, such as the non-participation of publishers from some Arab countries, especially Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Yemen, or problems with subscriptions payments for publishers at fairs, especially from Lebanon and the Maghreb countries, and to discuss the problems faced by fair directors.
The meetings resulted in reviving the small committee entrusted with following up on the implementation of recommendations and decisions, based on the resolutions of meetings of the directors of Arab book fairs for the years 2016, 2019, and 2020.
Meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Arab Exhibition Managers:
The first meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Arab Book Fairs Directors and Representatives of the Arab Publishers Association, which includes representatives of Arab Fairs and the Arab Publishers Association, was held on June 2, 2023, on the sidelines of the Rabat International Book Fair, and a number of topics of interest to publishers'''''''' participation in Arab fairs were discussed.
4- Media and Public Relations Committee:
The Media Committee is considered the primary tool for introducing the public to the Association and its objectives, and it contributes to effectively conveying its activities and projects. It also serves as a link between publishers and Association members, in addition to those interested in books and cultural affairs. The committee is active in monitoring the following: - Technical preparation and issuing a monthly bulletin that reflects some of the important activities carried out by the Association. - Following up and coordinating with the Sharjah Authority to secure the participation of the Arab Publishers Association in international exhibitions: Frankfurt, London, Bologna, providing media coverage for them, and participating in preparing the Association ''''''''s pavilions at the exhibitions they have decided to participate in, through the preparation of posters and publications for Arab and international exhibitions. - Media coverage and issuing statements resulting from the Association ''''''''s various activities and Arab exhibitions, and circulating them among members and different media outlets. Numerous media statements have been issued, including:
- Press releases about the opening of Arab Book Fairs, including: Cairo Book Fair, Muscat International Book Fair, Erbil Book Fair, Rabat Book Fair, Bologna Book Fair, Abu Dhabi Book Fair, Doha Book Fair, Sharjah Book Fair, Kuwait Book Fair.
- Press releases about the Dr. Abdulaziz Mansour Award.
- Press releases about the Best Arab Publisher Award.
5- Professional Development Committee:
- In cooperation with the Resource Development Committee, it was decided in 2022 to announce an award in the name of Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Mansour for the Arab publisher, valued at $20,000. The Award Board of Trustees and the judging committee ensured its diversity, as the award in its fourth session in 2022 was in the field of science fiction, in its fifth session in 2023 in the field of novels for young authors, and in its sixth session in 2024 in the fields of novels and short story collections, under the title ''''''''Palestine, Our Story.'''''''' Its seventh session in 2025 was awarded in the field of young adult literature to Arjouha Publishing and Distribution in Egypt.
- Working on continuously activating the Arabic Writers Guide page with every exhibition in cooperation with the General Secretariat Office.
- Holding a lecture in cooperation between the Arab Publishers Association and the Kuwait International Book Fair Administration under the title ''''''''Economic Reality: the Publishing Industry,'''''''' as part of the cultural activities accompanying the exhibition, November 2022.
6- Resource Development Committee:
- During the term, the committee continued to follow up on activating the financial resources of the Association Fund and liaising with official Arab donor entities to support the Association’s activities.
- Continued implementation of an annual award named after Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Mansour for Arab publishers, in order to encourage publishers to produce purposeful and distinguished content, in cooperation with the Professional Performance Development Committee.
6- Dispute Resolution Committee:
The committee received a number of complaints, undertook to review the submitted cases, and succeeded in communicating with all parties in the dispute in an attempt to bring viewpoints closer together.
7- Arab Relations Committee:
- Communicate with EgyptAir to book a private plane for participants traveling to the Algeria Fair, for those who were unable to make reservations, March 2022.
- Follow up with member publishers during their participation in fairs and work on resolving their issues and collecting Association subscriptions.
- Communicate with the director of the Algeria Fair to facilitate the obtaining of visas for participating publishers from the Algerian Embassy in the Sultanate of Oman, to assist publishers attending the Muscat Fair, March 2022.
- Assist in introducing the Association to non-member publishing houses and encourage them to join.
- Assist in supervising, preparing, and following up on the Association’s pavilions during its participation in Arab fairs.
- Hold direct or indirect meetings with publishers at the Riyadh, Tunis, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Kuwait fairs to overcome obstacles they faced.
- Provide discounted hotel offers for publishers'''''''' accommodation during Arab fairs attended in person.
8- Digital and Audio Publishing Committee:
The committee prepared a survey on the importance of electronic publishing and digital and audio books from the perspective of Arab publishing houses. The survey included 71 questions, varying between open and closed questions, divided into three sections. The first section concerned personal data, the second addressed the attitudes of Arab publishing houses toward electronic publishing in general and digital books in particular, and the third proposed the creation of a website for electronic and digital publishing specifically for members of the Arab Publishers Association. Among the main findings: - Digital Reality: 75.9% supported the idea of a global shift to digital, while everyone attributes the weakness of printed book sales to the spread of the internet, even though 79.3% still prefer printed books if the price is the same. - Online Presence: 41.4% have their own websites, 65.5% published through intermediary platforms, and all use social media for promotion. - Opinions were divided over creating a unified platform; the majority (79.3%) supported placing their books for marketing purposes, while 48.3% opposed bearing setup costs due to fear of piracy or the lack of trust of Arab consumers in paying for digital content.
- Supporters (51.7%) suggested a contribution and share issuance system, citing successful models such as the ''''''''My Purposeful Book'''''''' platform.
Ninth: Awards:
- In a joint cooperation between the Association and the Egyptian General Book Organization, an award named ''''''''Best Arab Publisher'''''''' was established in 2022 as part of the awards granted by the Cairo International Book Fair, with a value of 40,000 (forty thousand Egyptian pounds). The award amount was increased to 50,000 (fifty thousand pounds) in 2023, with both parties sharing the cost equally. The award value was later raised to 1,000 US dollars from the Association and 25,000 Egyptian pounds from the Organization in 2025.
- Communication with the Ghassan Kanafani Award for Arabic Novel and its dissemination to publishers in 2022 and 2024.
- Communication with the Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for Children''''''''s Literature and its dissemination to publishers in 2022, 2024, and 2025.
- Cooperation with ALECSO, the International Organization of La Francophonie, and the Palestinian Publishers Association, and dissemination to members for participation in the Ibn Khaldun – Senghor Translation Award in its 15th cycle, April 2022.
- Dissemination to members for participation in the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Award for Translation in its 11th and 12th editions, June 2023 and 2025.
- Circular to members to participate in the Turjman Award, Sharjah Translation Award, July 2023.
- Circular to members to participate in the Golden Narrative Award, August 2023.
- Circular to publishers to participate in the WIPO Award for International Excellence in Honoring the Publisher, and the initiative of projects that each demonstrate outstanding leadership and achievements in enhancing access to commercial e-books, or other digital publications for blind and visually impaired people, or people with other disabilities in reading printed materials, August 2023.
- Receipt of an invitation to attend the inaugural ceremony of the Doha Arabic Book Award in its inaugural 2025 session, represented by Mr. Ibrahim Al-Sayed, Vice President of the Arab Publishers Association.
- Circular to publishers to participate in the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in its nineteenth session 2024-2025.
- Invitation received to attend the distribution ceremony of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in Abu Dhabi for 2024.
- Circular to publishers to participate in the Forum Award for Arabic Short Story 2024.
- Circulation of awards for the Doha International Book Fair, February 2025.
- Circulation of an invitation to participate in the ''''''''Treasure of the Generation'''''''' Award in its fourth session, April 2025.
- Circulation of an invitation to participate in the Naguib Mahfouz Award for the Arabic Novel, granted annually by the Cairo International Book Fair, 2025.
Tenth: Media Statements:
- Press Release: Thanks and appreciation to His Excellency President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the Algerian Republic, regarding the exemption of publishers participating in the Algiers International Book Fair from booth fees, February 2022.
- Press Release: Thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of the Kingdom of Morocco, for his patronage of the International Publishing and Book Fair in Rabat.
- Thanks and appreciation to the Moroccan Minister of Culture, Mr. Mohamed Mehdie Bensaid, regarding the decision to exempt publishers participating in the fair, June 2022.
- Statement on the non-responsibility of the Association for publishers’ participation in the Medina International Book Fair, May 2022.
- Statement on the non-responsibility of the Association for publishers’ participation in the Benghazi Book Fair, June 2022.
- Statement on the meeting of the President of the Arab Publishers Association with His Excellency the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Mr. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, at the headquarters of the Arab League, July 2022.
- Statement on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas awarding publisher Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, the Medal of Culture, Science, and Arts, September 2022.
- Press release: Recommendations of the Sixth Arab Publishers Conference, Sharjah, November 2022.
- Press release: Meeting of the Arab Publishers Association delegation with His Excellency Minister Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, Minister of Media and Culture, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs of Kuwait, November 2022.
- Press release: Announcement of the meeting of directors of Arab book fairs, January 2023.
- Press release: Statement of solidarity with the Syrian and Turkish people following the devastating earthquake on February 6, 2023.
- Press release: Statement on the publication of a study titled: “Publishing in the Arab World: The Time of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Its Implications,” 2020-2021, published in March 2023.
- Press release: World Book and Copyright Day, April 2023.
- Press release: Solidarity with the Sudanese people following the violations occurring in Sudan, April 2023.
- Press Release: Thanks to the management of the Abu Dhabi Book Fair for exempting Arab publishers participating in the fair, for the third consecutive time, from pavilion rental fees, to ease the burdens and economic conditions they are experiencing, May 2023.
- Press Release: Delivery of a collection of gifted Arabic books and references from the Arab Publishers Association to the Somali National Library, to rehabilitate the library''''''''s premises, develop its collection, and support the Arabic language in Somalia, June 2023.
- Press Release: Regarding the exemption of publishers participating in the Doha International Book Fair from pavilion rental fees, June 2023.
- Press Release: The Arab Publishers Association condemns the incident of burning the Holy Quran, June 2023.
- Press Release: Expressing solidarity with the Moroccan people following the devastating earthquake that struck the Al Haouz region, September 2023.
- Press Release: Palestine International Book Fair: The Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammed Shtayyeh, head of the Palestinian government, receives a delegation from the Arab Publishers Association, September 2023.
- Media Statement: Solidarity with the Libyan people as a result of Hurricane Daniel, which swept through several cities and regions in Libya, September 2023.
- Media Release: Participation of the Arab Publishers Association in the Twelfth Conference of Ministers of Culture in the Islamic World in Doha, September 2023.
- Media Statement: Solidarity with the Palestinian People Following the Continuous Violations Practiced by the Israeli Occupation Army in the Gaza Strip and the City of Jerusalem, and the Desecration of the Temple Mount, October 2023.
- Media Release: The Arab Publishers Association boycotts the 75th Frankfurt International Book Fair, due to the statement issued by the fair in support of and adoption of the brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, October 2023.
- Media Release: The Arab Publishers Association ''''''''s Support to Gaza Publishers, November 2023.
- Media Release: The Association of Arab Publishers Condemns the Violation of Somalia''''''''s Independence, January 2024.
- Media Statement: The Arab Publishers Association condemns the assassination attempt on the great publisher Fakhri Karim, February 2024.
- Media Statement: Solidarity with the brotherly Omani people affected by the floods caused by the rains, April 2024.
- Press Release: The Arab Publishers Association celebrates World Book and Copyright Day, April 2024.
- Press Release: The Arab Publishers Association condemns the pager explosion carried out by the Israeli occupation army in Lebanon, September 2024.
- Press Release: Exemption of Palestinian, Lebanese, and Sudanese publishers from rental fees at the Sharjah International Book Fair, October 2024.
- Press Release: Condemnation and rejection of the U.S. President’s statements on displacement, and affirmation of the Palestinians’ right to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, January 2025.
- Press Release: Signing of a cooperation agreement between the Arab Publishers Association and the Institute of Arabic Manuscripts, April 2025.
- Press Release: Reception of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, by the President of the Arab Publishers Association, and the call to issue simplified series for youth to introduce them to Islamic and Arab identity, and raise their awareness of the issues of the Arab and Islamic nations, especially the Palestinian issue, April 2025.
- Press Release: Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, Minister of Awqaf and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, receives Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, at the Ministry of Awqaf headquarters in the Administrative Capital, June 2025.
- Press Release: The Arab Publishers Association donates a collection of Arabic books and references to the National Library of the Republic of Djibouti, to help rehabilitate the library''''''''s premises, expand its collection, and support the Arabic language in Djibouti, June 2025.
- Press Release: The Arab Publishers Association condemns the Israeli aggression against the brotherly Syrian people and affirms its unconditional solidarity with the people of Syria in facing these aggressive acts that violate all international norms and laws, July 2025.
- Press Release: Commending the initiative of the Publishers and Booksellers Association in Iraq to combat forgery and for signing a National Code of Honor, August 2025.
- Press Release: The Arab Publishers Association condemns the brutal aggression carried out by the Zionist entity against the brotherly State of Qatar, September 2025.
- Press Release: Celebrating Dr. Al-Anani, titled: ''''''''For the First Time, an Egyptian Arab Wins the Position… Khaled Al-Anani Appointed Director of UNESCO,'''''''' October 2025.
Eleventh: Initiatives to Support Public Libraries:
- The Arab Publishers Association gifted a collection of Arabic books and references to the National Library in Somalia in 2023, and a similar collection to the National Library in the Republic of Djibouti in 2025, out of its keenness to rehabilitate the headquarters of the national libraries in both countries, develop their collections, support the Arabic language in Somalia and the Republic of Djibouti, and affirm the documentation of cooperation and the good relationship between the Arab Publishers Association and the Arab League for the dissemination of culture and knowledge. The gifted collections included some Arabic books and references in various fields that had been submitted to judging committees to compete for the Best Arab Publisher Award in previous editions.
- Believing in their duty towards the Palestinian cause, especially in the cultural sector, the Arab Publishers Association, its president, and members have decided to organize a cultural initiative, through the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, to send a convoy of books and donate a number of publications to support Palestinian publishing houses, public libraries, and cultural and university centers that have been severely affected by the genocide being carried out by the occupation army against the people of Gaza. This initiative comes to preserve the Arab identity of the Palestinian people, promote Palestinian cultural awareness, facilitate access to knowledge, provide educational and informational resources, strengthen cultural ties, and encourage cultural and intellectual exchange through the Palestinian Ministry of Culture, July 2025.
- An agreement on a number of initiatives between the Ministry of Awqaf and the Arab Publishers Association on the sidelines of the reception of Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, Minister of Awqaf and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, for Mr. Mohamed Rashad, President of the Arab Publishers Association, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Awqaf in the Administrative Capital in June 2025. Among the most prominent agreements reached by the two parties were: selecting the central mosque in each governorate to be provided with a comprehensive scientific library under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Awqaf, expanding the establishment of large libraries in major mosques, and reviving the libraries affiliated with the Ministry of Awqaf. It was also agreed to coordinate between the Ministry of Awqaf and the Arab Publishers Association to discuss mechanisms for implementing these initiatives and following them up on the ground, in a way that achieves the desired impact.
- The Arab Publishers Association initiative at the International Book Fair in Algeria is an international cultural cooperative initiative, carried out in collaboration between the National Association of Book Publishers in Algeria and the Arab Publishers Association. It involves the establishment of a public library in Algeria, which will be supplied with some valuable publications from Arab publishers, serving as a symbol of the role of the Arab publisher in serving their communities. The publications included more than 5,000 books directed to the Library of the President of the Republic, and they were received by Dr. Souria Mouloudji, former Minister of Culture and Arts, and currently Minister of National Solidarity, the Family, and Women''''''''s Affairs, on behalf of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on April 1, 2022.
- Supporting the initiative of a book for every Palestinian prisoner during the Palestine International Book Fair in its 12th session in 2022 and 13th session in 2023, to support our brothers in Palestine, enhance their knowledge, and keep them informed about the latest in Arab culture.
Twelfth: Honors:
- The Arab Publishers Association was honored by the Frankfurt International Book Fair in its 2025 edition for its continuous participation in the fair over 25 years.
- The Arab Publishers Association honored Her Highness Sheikha Bodor bint Sultan Al Qasimi at the Arab Publishers Association pavilion on the sidelines of the Frankfurt International Book Fair 2022, in recognition of her contributions and efforts supporting books and serving the publishing industry both in the Arab world and globally, and for her unlimited support in her role as the second woman to preside over the International Publishers Association, and the first Arab woman to hold this prestigious position, as part of her vision for the publishing sector and her tireless efforts in the global publishing sector through a series of major initiatives she accomplished.
- Honoring Ms. Claudia Kaiser, Vice President of the Frankfurt International Book Fair, for her efforts and cooperation in ensuring the success of the Arab Publishers Association''''''''s participation in the Frankfurt Fair, October 2022.
Secretary-General President of the Association
Bachar Chebaro Mohamed Rashad