The chairman of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, has urged the publishing houses participating in the growth of the publishing industry by committing to book pricing set up by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and adhering to copyrights.
He praised the relations between Britain and UAE, saying that it is the year of cultural partnership between UAE and Britain. He stressed that it was important step to choose Britain to be the guest of honor during the festival.
He added that it also participated in the fair as a part of the wing of University of Birmingham, as it presents one of the oldest versions of the Koran.
He stressed, “Today, we are here in Sharjah. We present the British culture. The British is the largest cultural partner in the book industry, the region of the Arab world, and the most important source of books in the world, and its presence in Sharjah is important and distinguished and this year is the year of partnership between the two countries.”
Al Ameri said protecting copyrights and providing books at affordable prices are the SIBF's main objectives. To achieve these, the SBF is keen to monitor the publishers' commitment to taking measures that sustain the publishing industry, he says.
He stressed that The SIBF will, for the first time, present timeless comic heroes again for today's generation. Young people can learn about the artistic imagination behind the designs, features and the character of each hero. He added, “It's a chance for anyone to be the comic hero that he or she always loved! Also, there will be a place for artists to exhibit and sell their works, a roaming performance act and a photo opportunity with comic superheroes.”
He continued that Book sales reached the highest level ever in 2016, with an estimated Dh176 million ($ 48.2m) worth of sales during the fair, adding, “But during this edition, we expect the volume of sale to increase by at least 50 per cent.”
Due to the high demand, he said, the space has increased by 4,000 square metres this year, which will be added to the 25,000 square meters initially designated for publishers.
He underlined the important role performed by the rulers of emirates to push forward the important event, saying that The SIBF's progress has been achieved under the vision of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who believes that word is power; the book is a source of culture and the only choice of the nations is to help build humans and develop their knowledge.
He added, “The SIBF was established with the aim of building humans and developing their knowledge. Over the course of its three-and-a-half-decade journey, the SIBF has become established as the region's premium platform for the very best in science, literature and art.”