The three-day event is one of the largest programmes dedicated to developing expertise of Emirati and Arab publishers in enhancing their capabilities and skills.
Legal rights, licensing and translating traditional and e-books beyond the UAE and the Middle East region were the highlights of the pre-Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) with around 300 more publishers, translators and authors’ agents attending the opening day on Sunday at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce.
This three-day third edition of SIFB’s Professional Programme is one of the largest programmes dedicated to developing expertise of Emirati and Arab publishers in enhancing their capabilities and skills in negotiating and looking into terms of contract in selling books and translating according to international standards.
Salim Omar Sali, head of SIBF’s sales and marketing, said at the end of the programme, six discussion panels will be dealing with different aspects of affecting the publishing industry.
The SIBF Professional Programme offers a unique opportunity to experts in the publishing sector to network and share experiences. One of the primary objectives is to benefit from the expertise of elite group of professionals.
This, in turn, will assist in expanding avenues of cooperation, increase the prevalence rate and the level of local and Arab cultural representation in major international book events in the future.
SIBF offers publishers grants for translation to and from various languages and the total value of the grant per book to $1,500 for children’s books, and $4,000 for general books.
Salim said books submitted for grants should be protected under the law of protection of intellectual property, with the exception of business subject to public ownership.