HE AHMED BIN RAKKAD AL AMERI
Hadara speaks with the Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority as the Sharjah International Book Fair marks its landmark 40th anniversary this year with a rich, in-person programme drawing some of the most celebrated names in world literature, including Nobel Prize Winner, Abdulrazak Gurnah.
Sharjah International Book Fair marked its 40th anniversary this year. It is a source of pride, for Sharjah and for the UAE. In 1982 it attracted six publishers, this year 1,632 participated from 83 countries, presenting 15 million books. Why has SIBF been as successful as it has?
Indeed, SIBF 2021 was a milestone edition, cresting 40 years of sustained growth. As you pointed out, the entire concept was new to the region then, and there were just a handful of publishers at our inaugural edition in 1982. Today, 40 years on, SIBF has evolved into an event far beyond what was initially conceived. From 6 publishers participating at the debut edition, the festival has grown beyond recognition with over 1,600 publishers participating in the 40th edition. SIBF 2021 was brought to life by the presence of award-winning and internationally renowned guest authors, cultural personalities, and speakers, who inspired and entertained millions of visitors representing all age groups and nationalities across the 11-day fair.
Today, SIBF is recognised as one of the world’s top literary events. However, what has remained constant is our mission to foster a love of reading and a passion for knowledge among the young generations. We have not deviated from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and the Ruler of Sharjah, for SIBF as an “oasis of knowledge and enlightenment”. It is this enthusiasm for the pursuit of knowledge that has placed Sharjah at the centre of the literary world and earned it the title of World Book Capital from UNESCO in 2019.
In 2020, following a wave of cancellations as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, Sharjah’s was the first book fair to be held in person. It was a vital coming together for the publishing industry. To what extent was that fair a lifeline for publishers?
2020 was a very difficult year for the publishing sector. SIBF was one of the first major international fairs to organise a hybrid edition. It would be fair to say that the international publishing industry, battered by the pandemic, was looking to SIBF for some positive signs of recovery.
Organising SIBF 2020 in a hybrid format was aimed at not only benefiting the local, regional and global publishing markets in such tough times, but also to give hope to our readers.
It served to motivate not only us, but also organisers of other book fairs who visited us to learn how we made it happen. It was challenging, but we had what it took to run a well-organised event that adhered to strict safety protocols and spread hope in the publishing industry. SIBF 2020 certainly served its purpose, and we returned stronger and bigger than ever for our 40th edition this year.
Diego Ávalos, Netflix’s VP of original content in Spain (left), and Javier Gómez Santander, head writer of hit Netflix show Money Heist (La Casa de Papel), during a panel discussion at SIBF 2021.
Speakers at this year’s event—Abdulrazak Gurnah, Rabina Khan, and Candice Carty-Williams among them—represent strong, diverse voices in storytelling. How important is it to you that SIBF champions diversity in literature?
SIBF focuses on diversity, equality, and inclusivity in its programming – all qualities that have become central to our lives, and especially so in the world of publishing.
Our intention in including a strong, diverse range of personalities at SIBF is the hope that it will open doors for other people and inspire the younger generation to embrace their uniqueness and to make a mark, big or small, in this world.
Sharjah will be the Market Focus at The London Book Fair next year, and the guest of honour at the 2022 Bologna Children’s Book Fair. How important is SIBF as a platform for the promotion of Arab literature and Arab writers?
These are big honours of course, as they highlight the success of Sharjah’s programmes and initiatives to bring the importance books, culture reading and publishing to the forefront. It also places a huge responsibility on us to keep demonstrating our excellence on prestigious global platforms where the world looks at and up to us.
SIBF is a large-scale cultural project that keeps growing with every edition. At the heart of it is a very keen intent to showcase to the world the creations of the Arab world’s writers, thinkers and poets, translated in as many languages as possible.
Sharjah has been encouraging convergence between Arab culture and other cultures of the world through SIBF’s Translation Grant since 2011. It has grown in popularity over the years and the books made available in many diverse languages have served to popularise Arab literature around the world. With such initiatives, Sharjah continues to serve as a beacon of knowledge and a platform to showcase Arabic literature in its many forms for people in the UAE, the region and the world.
Plays, stage shows, and roaming performances were among the many attractions that delighted visitors to SIBF 2021.
While the digital readiness of publishers and the digital infrastructure of various markets tested the global publishing industry during the pandemic, it also exposed various underlying challenges. We have also seen how strong government stimulus and support have accelerated the industry’s post-pandemic recovery in markets that received such support.
Events like SIBF are crucial for enhancing multi-stakeholder cooperation and strengthening solidarity through increased dialogue on key issues. SBA’s initiatives such as the Sharjah International Literary Agency, and its professional programmes including the National Libraries Summit and Publishers Conference are also facilitating communication among publishers, authors, translators, and creatives, and streamlining efforts to assert the critical importance of our industry.
As we adapt to the new realities of knowledge and an increasingly digital -based economy, I’d like to mention pioneering initiatives such as the IPA Academy of the International Publishers Association (IPA), which are vital to bridge the digital skills gap and upskill and reskill the industry stakeholders.
You talk of making the Book Fair an ‘umbrella for an integrated cultural community’, how do you see Sharjah International Book Fair evolving?
Not just talk about it, we act on it too. This should be evident from the various offerings at the book fair – thousands of publishers from 83 countries; a 1,000+ events and activities that represent world cultures; the elaborate guest of honour programme, which was led by Spain this year, and so on.
So, the book fair already serves as an umbrella for an integrated cultural community, by connecting UAE’s citizens, residents, and visitors to the best of literature, art, knowledge, and more, from around the globe.
The road ahead is very promising, especially after the incredible milestone SIBF crossed by becoming the world’s largest book fair this year, earning the title for the first time since its inception in 1982. This global recognition speaks volumes of the success of Sharjah’s 40-year efforts to bring books, reading, publishing and culture to the UAE and the region.
We are fortunate to have the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in planning successive book fairs, who firmly believes that building strong societies and civilisations can only be achieved through knowledge and books. Our continuing endeavour will be to evolve with the changing times, to keep brining books and knowledge to the UAE and Arab communities in interesting ways that fulfil their needs and keep supporting the sustainable growth of global publishing.
South African comedian and host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, was a guest speaker at SIBF 2021.
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF SHARJAH BOOK AUTHORITY
