FOR THE LOVE OF LITERATURE
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi is passionate about books. She uses her influence to grow Arabic content, to promote Arabic works, and to ensure Arab youth, wherever they are, can see their culture, their identity, in print. But her new global challenge is perhaps her greatest to date.
INTERVIEW BY CATHERINE MAZY
PHOTOGRAPHS BY IVANA MAGLIONE
CEO of Kalimat Publishing Group, founder of the Emirates Publishers Association, and now President of the International Publishers Association, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi has put Sharjah on the global literary map. She works constantly to bring people together in the service of literature. She brought the UNESCO World Book Capital to the emirate and was active in the creation of the House of Wisdom, a library for the 21st century. She keeps adding chapters to her story.
As you embark on the presidency of the International Publishers Association, what is your primary mission?
I assumed the IPA presidency at a historic moment. The challenges the publishing sector faces resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic are unprecedented. The most important goal for me now is to help stabilise the industry, to transition from the pandemic into the future with minimum damage while benefiting from the opportunities presented by this crisis. During my term as Vice President, I conducted an industry-wide survey with our members, which come from over 80 countries, to understand the challenges they have faced during this difficult year. Published in November, this report will help us develop our post-Covid recovery plan.
More broadly, what do you hope to establish as your legacy with the IPA?
The fact that I am the second woman in IPA’s 125 years to assume the presidency, with another female executive as VP, is itself a groundbreaking change. It signals IPA’s seriousness about diversity and inclusion and sets a good example that will be followed by other international organisations. I also want to make sure we are truly diverse in our association. During my term as Vice President, I reached out to publishers associations in Africa, Latin America and Asia to encourage them to join so that we can truly represent publishers around the world.
I organised three regional seminars, in Lagos, Nairobi and Amman, to engage with publishers on the ground and support their initiatives. I launched the African Publishing Innovation Fund in partnership with Dubai Cares to fund publishing projects across the African continent. This year, we are focusing on remote learning and digital education solutions to combat the negative effects of Covid-19 on children’s education in Africa.
I also want to support IPA’s two pillars, which are copyright and freedom to publish around the world. As President, I aim to uphold and defend these universal values to ensure the publishing industry can thrive in the face of adversity.
You created Kalimat in response to your young daughter. How do your children’s experiences shape your work as a children’s book publisher?
In a way, my children are my inspiration. I set up my publishing house in response to their frustration at not finding interesting books in Arabic. They give me invaluable feedback about the books we publish at Kalimat and some other book ideas we want to print. They also inspire me with book ideas as I watch them grow and develop. Their honest feedback is representative of the voices and imagination of their generation. I learn from them about what content works and what doesn’t. I also learn from them how they want the content to be presented. As my children have different ages, I have learnt to understand the different trends in the market, and what works for different age groups. At the end of the day, we want to publish books that grab their attention with all the distractions that surround children these days.
What do you look for in a good children’s book?
When it comes to children’s books, less is undoubtedly more. It is hard for the writers because it requires an adult to get into the child’s heart and mind and understand all the little nuances that make up the magical world inside a child’s brain. In Kalimat, our mission is clear: we want to publish quality Arabic books that will attract Arabic-speaking children and youth to read Arabic books. This mission defines our choice of authors, illustrators, and topics or stories. We have a wonderful team of editors and designers who look at every detail. We also work with skilled illustrators from around the world to bring the stories to life.
What do Emirati youth like to read? How do you negotiate the delicate dilemmas of young adults without upsetting parents?
Like their Arab counterparts, Emirati youth yearn to be part of their country’s cultural development while keeping a global outlook. They want to read a wide variety of content that has universal truth but is personally relevant to them. Our young readers have evolved, they want to learn about their culture through their own eyes, but they also want to read about science fiction, suspense, and futuristic works.
I don’t see my role as a publisher as someone who should teach children what’s wrong from what’s right. I believe that’s the parents’ role. Our role is to make great books that inspire young children and adults to read. We choose topics that broaden their horizon and open their mind to ideas and cultures they might not be familiar with. Books are mirrors that reflect our societies but also windows that show you glimpses of other cultures around the world. My dream in life is to witness societies that are respectful of each other’s differences and embrace our diversity in all its shapes and forms.
What do you enjoy reading? Do you like audiobooks, or does hearing someone else’s voice distract from the imagery you create as you read?
My taste in books is really diverse. I enjoy all genres and I try to keep up with the latest releases. I recently did a publishing tour of Africa and got familiar with many African authors which I’ve subsequently published into Arabic. I also enjoy reading about spirituality and mysticism, and this has influenced the books we publish at Rewayat [a publisher of books for adults]. I do enjoy audiobooks, especially if I’m commuting or travelling. I especially enjoy listening to non-fiction, like Malcolm Gladwell’s books in his own voice.
What are a couple of offerings from Rewayat that you are especially excited about?
I’m extremely excited about Rewayat because venturing into adult fiction and non-fiction was a challenge for me. Kalimat was always recognised as a children’s publisher, so getting great authors to publish was difficult at the beginning. However, we started with a strategy of translating powerful classics that weren’t available in Arabic like Truman Capote, James Baldwin, Michael Ondaatje, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ian McEwan and many others. I loved the diversity of the narratives that we were bringing to the Arabic literature genre. We have some great Arab authors that we publish now. For me, publishing is an opportunity to create a platform for intercultural dialogue and give a voice to the voiceless, the marginalised and the hidden. Especially the voices of women and minorities.
Rewayat’s literature section has such an eclectic selection, who chooses the books? Are authors eager to be translated into Arabic?
We follow a rigorous process in selecting the books we publish. Our primary mission is to add quality Arabic content to the region and support Arab writers who have the talent and drive to become international successes. It’s always a balancing act between commercial viability and literary value, and I think we were successful so far in selecting the books we translate or publish. There is growing interest from international writers to be translated into Arabic, considering the market’s size. We are always on the lookout for international writers who can add value to our readers. I believe that publishing gives us the opportunity to change the narrative on some outdated stereotypes that have put certain people into boxes. It’s a game changer when you hear first hand from the author what their views are, what it’s like in their home country and what they stand for. Immediately it changes perceptions, and prejudices are dissolved. I feel privileged to be able to create a bridge between the reader and the author.
You travel a lot with your work. Do you enjoy it? You are also an accomplished mountain climber, how did you get into that?
I used to travel a lot for work before the pandemic and it was a great opportunity for me to learn about publishing around the world and meet fellow publishers. I also love to travel for pleasure and explore new places. I got into mountain climbing after climbing Kilimanjaro six years ago. Since then, I have climbed Mount Toubkal in Morocco, Mount Elbrus in Russia, Everest Base Camp in Nepal, Druk Path in Bhutan, Los Illinizas in Ecuador and some mountains in Patagonia, Chile. The hardest one for me was Mount Elbrus in Russia because it was a very technical mountain and ice climbing was involved. I never underestimate a mountain, I have an enormous amount of respect for them. In ancient cultures, they believed the gods dwelled in the mountains and permission had to be granted before anyone could climb them. Some mountains are considered sacred, and it’s important to respect the land you are in. On my way to Everest Base Camp, we visited a Lama to ask for permission and blessings before continuing our journey.
You don’t climb mountains to be seen, you climb mountains to see the world. The climbs for me are very spiritual and transformative journeys. I enjoy the solitude and quietness when I’m in the wilderness. It allows me to connect deeply with my inner soul and hear what she has to say. As you climb, you also shed what no longer serves you and release thoughts and ideas that have held you back. So it’s quite liberating. Of course, when you reach the summit, the joy of achievement is insurmountable and you get a mountain high from being so close to the sky. The journey down has its own magic.
You were 29 when you founded Kalimat. How was it to be not just new to publishing, but also young and a woman?
One of the most important lessons I learned from my publishing journey is that you need to trust yourself and move forward when you have a passion for something. There will always be challenges. There will always be nay-sayers and doubters. Every journey has its obstacles and it’s through these that you grow and learn the most. There was a diversity and inclusion problem in the publishing world, I noticed that I was the only woman in high-level meetings or committees, especially in IPA. This led me to found PublisHer, a global networking and mentorship platform for women in the book business.
Was Sharjah World Book Capital all you had hoped it would be?
I am very proud of the Sharjah World Book Capital legacy. It further cemented Sharjah’s position as an emerging global cultural centre. It also reinforced our commitment to leverage literature, education, and the power of narratives to tell a different and new story about this part of the world.
Our theme reflected our intentions and objectives. “Open Books, Open Minds,” says a lot about Sharjah and its philosophy behind building a culture of books and reading. We designed our WBC events and activities to bring people from different backgrounds closer and introduce them to different cultures. We aimed to be more inclusive, we wanted to encourage people to be more accepting of each other for being different. I was impressed with how the community got together seamlessly. It warmed my heart to see families with young children enjoying their weekend or evening around books and reading activities, together with hundreds of other people from different backgrounds. That was the whole point behind our programme.
How does the House of Wisdom fit into the vision of Sharjah’s future?
The House of Wisdom is a natural evolution of Sharjah’s cultural infrastructure investment. We are inspired by the wisdom and influence of our ancestors, who once were at the heart of the development of global civilisation. The HoW also reflects the knowledge-based culture vision of HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. He has been developing the emirate of Sharjah with the unique vision of putting human development at the forefront of its priorities.
I really like how the building combines a futuristic look and feel together with a traditional Arabic aura. You immediately feel that you are in a special place, and you are reminded of the power of books in uniting people. The HoW marks Sharjah’s transformation into a truly 21st century cultural hub.
Why did you create Kalimat Foundation?
I believe that access to books is the right of everyone, especially children. Unfortunately, not every child in the world does have that access, and that was a frustrating and painful thought for me as a mother and as a publisher. I decided to do something about it, which was why I started the Kalimat Foundation for Children’s Empowerment (KF) in 2016. Although publishing is a multi-billion-dollar business worldwide, there is still a degree of altruism to it. Every day, publishers worldwide contribute to the education of millions of people who cannot afford books. It’s a fact that I am very proud of as a publisher.
Our mission in KF is straightforward: empower underprivileged Arab children with the power of books and reading to create a better future. We build libraries for and share books with Arab communities in rural areas, hospitals, orphanages, and schools; with Arab children affected by war and living in refugee camps and shelters; and Arab children with disabilities. Through this initiative, we have reached more than 100,000 children across 14 countries.
KF also donated Arabic books to libraries in Europe to provide Arab children, immigrants, and refugees with books written in their mother tongue, with a view to enhancing their cultural identity and strengthening emotional communication with their countries of origin.
We launched the Ara, “I can see” initiative to provide reading material for blind and visually impaired children all over the MENA region. We distributed around 400 titles in audiobook, large-print, and Braille formats across four schools in Jordan and several entities dedicated to helping the blind and visually impaired. I am humbled by the impact of the foundation in the lives of thousands of Arab children whose only escape from a painful present are the pages of a book that promises a better tomorrow.
What is the Ubuntu Love Challenge?
Mamadou Kwidjim and I launched the Ubuntu Love Challenge at the early stages of the pandemic last year to uplift the spirits of millions of people around the world who were in the grip of despair and fear from an uncertain future. We believe in the core philosophy of the ancient African wisdom of Ubuntu, “I am because we are.” It emphasises our interdependence and interconnectedness as a human family. So, in a way, we wanted to change the energetic vibration around the world and be there for all of those who were feeling down, lonely, desperate, pessimistic, helpless, and empower them to become more resilient and hopeful. Obviously, we couldn’t create the global impact we hoped for just the two of us. We called other changemakers, and we were pleasantly surprised. Almost everyone we invited joined the challenge. Participants organised massive food drives, offered online education support, distributed donated laptops to support distance learning for children, and launched large-scale initiatives to support start-ups and entrepreneurs, to name a few. We decided then to launch the Ubuntu Foundation. Its principal objective is to elevate human consciousness through projects that support our planet’s regeneration.
STYLIST: GEMMA JONES/MMG ARTISTS. HAIR/MAKEUP: IVANNA/MMG ARTISTS.
