London: The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) reaffirmed the emirate’s standing as a cultural powerhouse with its participation in the 51st edition of the London Book Fair (LBF), at Olympia London.
According to Emirates News Agency, the fair, a key fixture in the global publishing calendar, brought together leading publishers, authors, and industry professionals from across the world to exchange expertise, showcase their latest offerings, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.
Sharjah’s presence at the international event underscored its commitment to fostering international cultural exchange. SBA showcased the vibrancy of the UAE’s publishing sector and the literary contributions of Emirati and Arab writers. It also strengthened ties between the region’s creative industries and the global publishing community, highlighting SBA’s initiatives to support the sector and forging new collaborations with international publishers.
Commenting on the participation in the fair, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the SBA, noted the significance of Sharjah’s presence at the LBF as part of its annual agenda. He highlighted the emirate’s achievements in the cultural sector and the success of the Sharjah International Book Fair. Al Ameri emphasized the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi and Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi in promoting books as bridges of cultural exchange.
Sharjah’s pavilion welcomed visitors and enthusiasts of Arabic literature, offering a curated selection of translated works in English. It also facilitated meetings between Emirati and international publishers to explore opportunities for collaboration. As part of SBA’s pavilion, the Sharjah Literary Agency provided professional consultations on book marketing strategies and copyright protection, while the Onshur Fund highlighted its incentives for publishers.
Over three days, the authority held more than 40 meetings with distinguished international publishers, engaging with representatives from Ingram, Atlantic Publishing, Publishers Weekly, Times – Singapore, Amazon MGM Studios, HarperCollins, Publishing Perspectives, Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Hachette, Oxford University Press, John Marshall Media, Sourcebooks, and other leading publishing houses.
During LBF 2025, Sharjah introduced the newly renamed International Award for Arabic Children’s Literature. Organised in partnership with the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and e and , the award aims to promote Arabic children’s and young adult literature globally.
As part of the emirate’s delegation, the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone showcased its infrastructure to support business establishment and publishing ventures. At LBF, SBA presented opportunities available to international publishers through the emirate’s events and initiatives, including the Sharjah International Book Fair and the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival.
Additionally, SBA spotlighted the Sharjah Animation Conference and promoted initiatives supporting global translation efforts, including the Turjuman Award and the Sharjah Translation Grant, to strengthen the presence of literature from the Arab world on the global stage.
