Sharjah Publishers Conference Draws 400 Publishers From 126 Countries

The Sharjah Book Authority opened the 16th Sharjah International Publishers Conference in Sharjah on November 1, bringing together around 400 publishers and literary agents representing 126 countries. The authority said the event, which runs for three days, is intended to strengthen the emirate's position as a hub for publishing, cultural dialogue and the exchange of professional experience. The opening was led by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, chairperson of the authority.

The conference arrives at a moment when publishers are looking for revenue beyond the printed book. Organizers said the program combines panel discussions, workshops and professional meetings, with the aim of expanding international cooperation and opening new routes for publishers and agents. The first day was devoted to ways of generating greater value from titles, including the sale of rights, adaptation for film and television, and entry into unfamiliar markets.

Rights Trading at the Center

Much of the opening day focused on the trade in translation rights and other forms of intellectual property. Specialists from Italy, Finland, Bulgaria, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Oman led sessions on adapting books for screens, building storyworlds and characters into properties that can be used across several projects, and selling rights out of smaller markets. Market sessions examined opportunities in Japan, China, Latin America and Spain, and also looked at China's growing online literature and audiobook economy. Seven of the day's roundtables were conducted in Arabic.

The authority said it provides a dedicated translation platform offering up to $300,000 in funding, a sum intended to widen the number of literary and intellectual works translated into other languages. Mansour Al Hassani, the authority's director of publishing services, said the second and third days would feature one-to-one meetings between publishers and literary agents to explore cooperation and conclude agreements for buying and selling translation rights.

New Channels and New Skills

Beyond rights, participants examined ways to increase sales through online marketplaces and digital channels, and to strengthen inventory and distribution management. Sessions covered how publishers can support authors in marketing their own books and how the industry should respond to changes in the media landscape. Other discussions addressed affordable bilingual children's books and co-edition publishing, topics that matter to houses working across languages and price points.

For people building careers in publishing, the agenda points to a broadening skill set. Negotiating translation rights, assessing whether a title will travel, adapting a narrative for another medium and managing digital sales channels are increasingly part of the work handled by editors, rights managers and marketing staff. The conference schedule reflects that shift by pairing market briefings with practical sessions on how publishers can reach readers and bookshops through digital tools.

The gathering also underlined how much of the industry's growth is being sought outside established English-language markets. Sessions traced routes between Arab and international markets, examined publishing between Oman and the United Kingdom, and asked how Arabic literature and works written in less widely spoken languages can find audiences abroad. Organizers framed the event as a way to exchange professional experience among publishing people from very different market sizes.

The opening also featured a keynote by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi and a main session by Sanyu Dillon, president of Penguin Random House in the United States, on trends shaping the global publishing sector. The authority said more than 30 specialized workshops are being led by more than 30 international and Arab specialists during the three days.

What to watch next is whether the meetings scheduled for the final two days turn into signed deals. The authority has positioned the one-to-one sessions as the commercial core of the event, where translation and publishing rights are negotiated. For authors and publishing staff, the outcome will indicate how quickly rights trading and screen adaptation are becoming routine parts of the business, and whether translation funding can move more titles across borders in the coming year.