The Sharjah Booksellers Conference opened with an unambiguous message: the publishing industry is putting a strain on the planet and it cannot be ignored.
The issue of sustainability needs the immediate attention of industry professionals, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, founder and chief executive of Kalimat Group and immediate past president of the International Publishers' Association, said in her keynote speech.
“The impact of the book industry on the environment is a profound risk to our industry, just as it is a risk to the planet’s ecosystem,” she said.
“While we don’t have all the answers right now, we must act fast. We must act together.”
She said the UAE had been collectively working on issues related to sustainability, leading several environmentally conscientious initiatives and programmes.
The country will also be hosting the UN Cop28 climate summit in November.
Sharjah’s Bookseller Conference will also have a part to play. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, the event may not be the most glamorous of the emirate’s rich literary calendar, but it also may be its most consequential.
The two-day conference is being held at the Expo Centre Sharjah until Tuesday. It brings together 400 booksellers from 69 countries, along with publishers and authors.
As 2023 has been dubbed the Year of Sustainability, the conference provides the opportunity to reflect on the environmental impact of the industry and to propose initiatives that, Sheikha Bodour said, “could radically change the way we produce and distribute books".
“No single publisher, bookseller or stakeholder from our ecosystem can face this challenge alone,” she said. “Collaboration is critical, now more than ever.”
Sheikha Bodour also touched on the advances that artificial intelligence is making in the literary realm.
While still in its early stages, she warned that the technology is growing at an incredible speed and will probably leave its mark in the literary world.
“Over 200 e-books have already been published with ChatGPT listed as their author,” she said. “It's like a scene from a sci-fi movie, but here we are, it’s reality.
“While it's difficult to predict exactly how generative AI will impact the book industry, it's clear that it has the potential to bring about radical changes in the way books are written and published.
"We need to stay ahead of the curve and find ways to strengthen our industry and our processes.”
Despite these issues, there is still much to celebrate. The industry, as a whole, is continuing to grow, Markus Dohle, former chief executive of Penguin Random House, said at the conference.
“This is the best time in publishing and books since Gutenberg invented the printing press some 600 years ago,” Mr Dohle said.
He also gave several reasons as to why there is still good news for publishing, despite the widespread belief that books are in decline.
“The size of the global revenue for books is growing every year,” Mr Dohle said. “That means that every year, consumers around the world spend more money on books than the year before.”
Stable business models for physical and digital distribution are also bolstering the industry’s growth.
“We have reached a healthy coexistence between the physical and digital formats of our industry. Almost 80 per cent of our sales is in physical format, of course varying across several territories.”
The fact that print has prevailed has been the “life insurance” for publishers and retailers alike, Mr Dohle said, while acknowledging that changes must be made to address the environmental effects of the industry.
The rising global population, as well as a sharp increase in literacy rates, are also contributing to the industry’s growth.
“The world population grows by three or fourth per cent every year,” he said. “But even more importantly, literacy rates are going through the roof.
"So each year, we have more people on the planet, of which many more people can read.”
An ever-more global supply chain, coupled with the growth of e-commerce, has made it possibly to distribute content like never before.
“We can reach audiences in three to four seconds digitally, and in three to four days physically,” Mr Dohle said.
He said the booming young adult and children’s books genres has helped the overall industry flourish.
Mr Dohle said it was the fastest-growing category in the past “25-plus years since Harry Potter was published".
Finally, audiobooks had also opened up new avenues, ones that allude back to oral traditions of storytelling.
“It goes back to the old campfire experience,” he said. “Listening to story is in our DNA, we come with it.
"Audiobooks give our readers for reading minutes, because we can do other things while listening to a good book.”
For more information, visit bookseller.ae
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Cricket World Cup League 2 Fixtures
Saturday March 5, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy (all matches start at 9.30am)
Sunday March 6, Oman v Namibia, ICC Academy
Tuesday March 8, UAE v Namibia, ICC Academy
Wednesday March 9, UAE v Oman, ICC Academy
Friday March 11, Oman v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Saturday March 12, UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri, Muhammad Waseem, CP Rizwan, Vriitya Aravind, Asif Khan, Basil Hameed, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Karthik Meiyappan, Akif Raja, Rahul Bhatia
'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
RESULT
Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Last-16
France 4
Griezmann (13' pen), Pavard (57'), Mbappe (64', 68')
Argentina 3
Di Maria (41'), Mercado (48'), Aguero (90 3')
The biog
Mission to Seafarers is one of the largest port-based welfare operators in the world.
It provided services to around 200 ports across 50 countries.
They also provide port chaplains to help them deliver professional welfare services.
Friday's schedule in Madrid
Men's quarter-finals
Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time
Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm
Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm
Women's semi-finals
Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm
Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm
Scoreline:
Barcelona 2
Suarez 85', Messi 86'
Atletico Madrid 0
Red card: Diego Costa 28' (Atletico)
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Suad%20Amiry%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pantheon%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20304%3Cbr%3EAvailable%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
