SHARJAH – The 10th edition of the Sharjah Children’s reading festival has seen the launch of a new business matchmaking platform ‘Horizons’ by the organisers of the event, the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA). Space has been created to facilitate the birth of new partnerships and exchange among publishing industry professionals, authors, illustrators and agents catering to the children’s and young adults book market worldwide.
During the first three days of the event, saw a solid turnout of Arab and international children’s book professionals. In its first edition, Horizon offered a meeting platform to more than 70 publishers, illustrators and authors from the UAE, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, China, Mexico, Bolivia, Germany, Lithuania and South Korea.
A matchmaking event, part of the initiative, led to the forging of 50 new partnerships and collaborations to publish books in languages including Arabic, English, and French, and also witnessed the exchange of illustration rights. Additionally, several unpublished works by some of the participating authors were commissioned by publishers at the event.
HE Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, said, “The platform was launched as part of Sharjah’s cultural project that enjoys support from His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, in order to further the children’s book industry locally, regionally and globally.
“It also aims to provide a thriving environment for publishing professionals to meet, network and collaborate on joint initiatives that will further the genre of children’s literature.”
Al Ameri pointed out that SBA will follow-up on the implementation of the 50 new collaborations that were born during the first edition of Horizons, and offer the required support and resources needed to expand them further.
“We are working to develop this platform in the coming years, we hope to make it one of the most prominent events at SCRF,” he emphasised.
Horizons aims to inspire professionals in the children’s book publishing industry to meet, exchange ideas and network. It seeks to offer the latest industry information and enduring support in order to develop publishing, production and distribution of children’s books regionally and internationally.
The platform provides a comprehensive information database to children’s book industry professionals, seeks to monitor and gauge diverse children’s book ecosystems and motivate other environments to promote the children’s book industry. It also aims to achieve compatibility between creative book professionals, investors and target audience, contributing to enriching child libraries with outstanding and high-quality children’s books.
In the foreseeable future, the platform will adopt leading initiatives that would contribute to the success of this vital sector, encourage professionals to work hard and contribute to enlighten the minds of younger generations and encounter the ideas obscurantism that might be included in children’s books.
–PR
