Sheikha Bodour as Honorary President

The Emirates Publishers Association, EPA, has announced the selection of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, as Honorary President of EPA in recognition of her outstanding efforts in developing the UAE publishing industry, her pioneering role in establishing and supporting the EPA, and enabling it to service publishers in the country.
Sheikha Bodour founded the EPA in 2009, and under her tenure the EPA gained full membership of the International Publishers Association, IPA, in 2012, and was able to establish itself as a pioneering voice for the growth and development of the publishing industry in the UAE, GCC and greater Middle East region.
Last October, the IPA elected Sheikha Bodour to serve on IPA's Executive Committee, making her the first Arab woman to serve on the Executive Committee. Sheikha Bodour's selection to fill this senior international position comes in recognition of her outstanding efforts to develop the publishing industry in the UAE and Arab World, her cultural initiatives to promote reading in the local community and develop children's literature locally and regionally, as well as her continued commitment to extending the necessary support to allow the publishers of this region to develop their business.
Sheikha Bodour expressed her delight for being selected as an Honorary President of EPA. Commenting on the occasion, she said, "Since founding the Emirates Publishers Association I have been optimistic about the future of the publishing industry in the UAE and the region. The EPA has contributed greatly to developing the sector over the last five years, enabling publishers and attracting more young Emirati talents to consider this industry as an ideal destination for them to unleash their creativity and plan their future careers." She added that the UAE has become one of the leading countries in publishing industry thanks to its wise leadership's support and vision that aims to strengthen the country's leadership in all fields. "This has helped provide the necessary facilities to set up many publishing houses and promote reading. This environment will benefit the cultural activity not only in our region, but in the entire world. The UAE has the potential to be one of the top ranking countries in the publishing industry. We want to work together to achieve this goal," she said.
Jamal Al Shehhi, President of the Emirates Publishers Association, said, "The EPA is proud to select Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi as an Honorary President in recognition of the unswerving efforts she has made in founding the association and her great support which has been instrumental in enabling the EPA realise remarkable achievements over the last five years. Sheikha Bodour has enabled the EPA to obtain full IPA Membership within a short span of time, expand its membership, base and launch numerous cultural initiatives that support the publishing industry." Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi is a leading figure in literacy, culture, publishing and education fields. She is the founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, the first publishing house dedicated to the production of Arabic titles for children. Since its inception in 2007, Kalimat has published over 155 books for children and young adults and has received many local, regional and international prestigious awards. In 2013, Kalimat has established Horouf Educational Publishing with the aim to develop innovative educational programmes that support learning in the Arabic language in pre-schools and schools in the Emirates.
In addition, Sheikha Bodour is the founder and Patron of the UAE Board on Books for Young People, the national section of the International Board on Books for Young People, which is a non-profit organisation that represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together. Sheikha Bodour is also the Head of the Organising Committee of Knowledge without Borders, an initiative launched by the Ruler of Sharjah with the aim of establishing a library in every house in the Emirate, raising knowledge and awareness of the importance of reading for community development, and contributing to creating an informed and knowledgeable generation.
Source: WAM