The 15th International Publishers Conference, held ahead of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2025, brought together global leaders of the publishing industry from around the world. The discussions transcended mere words and official speeches, evolving into a practical dialogue aimed at finding realistic solutions for the sector's challenges.
On its first day, the conference hosted 31 specialized workshops led by prominent experts from various continents and countries. The goal was to enhance professional cooperation and exchange essential skills and experience among those working in the publishing industry.
Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Faraj, Managing Director of Al-Ebkan Research, Publishing & Translation, during an interactive workshop that covered the hidden stages of a book's journey before it reaches bookstore shelves, explained that producing a single book involves the efforts of more than 50 people, including editors, reviewers, designers, marketers, and others, before it reaches the reader in its final form.
Al-Faraj pointed out that the workshop's discussion led participants to the challenges of distribution, which he described as "the common bottleneck in the book production chain." He noted that publishing, like other industrial sectors, faces complex obstacles that require innovative thinking and inspiration from other industries.
Among the prominent sessions at the conference was a session titled "Publishing Children's Books in French," led by Simon de Jocas, President and Owner of the Canadian publishing house Éditions Les 400 Coups in Montreal. In turn, Dr. Mohammed Ayesh, Director of Dar Al-Fikr Al-Jadeed in Jordan, led a workshop on "Factors that Make the Printed Book Indispensable." He clarified that the magic of a printed book lies not only in its content but in the integration of its elements—form, content, design, and visually appealing production—as well as the quality of the paper that suits the book's subject.
The discussion in another workshop shifted to the future of digital publishing in a session led by Mette Caserta, Co-founder of the Danish Fioranello Publishing. The session discussed how to build a digital publishing house in an economy reliant on streaming. The workshop also covered the applications of Artificial Intelligence in business management, where Caserta presented a new vision that goes beyond its traditional use in translation, advocating for its use to reduce operational costs and enhance the internal efficiency of publishing houses.
As for the workshop "Understanding Market Access Mechanisms," Vida Stratisti, Project Manager at the Indonesian company Gramedia International, provided a clear roadmap for international publishers looking to collaborate with their counterparts in Indonesia.
