A WORLD

OF WORDS
A Special Supplement for The Sharjah
International Book Fair 2017

sibf.com
 Welcome
1
CONTENTS
Ahmed Al Ameri

A passion for knowledge:

2 His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi
Highlights from the 2017 Sharjah Book Fair Professional Program
4 Ed Nawotka, Publishers Weekly

The Sharjah International Book Fair: An Introduction

5 Roger Tagholm

Reaching Milestones in Arabic Literary Translation

6 Ed Nawotka

Buying and Selling Rights in Sharjah

7 Ed Nawotka

4th Sharjah International Book Fair/American Library

8 Association Library Conference
Michael Dowling

Ancient Manuscript Brings Quran Closer

9 Roger Tagholm

10 Sharjah Publishing City in Photos

12 Q&A with IPA President Michiel Kolman

14 Country of Honourthe UK

15 Hachette Antoine: Publishing and Bookselling in the Lebanon

16 Sharjah: UNESCO World Book Capital

17 Q&A with author Vikas Swarup

18 Q&A with author Lisa Genova

19 Q&A with author Mohammed Asan Alwan

20 Q&A with author Neel Mukherjee


Welcome to the 36th edition of the Sharjah International
Book Fair (SIBF), which takes place under the patronage of
His Highness, Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi,
the United Arab Emirates Supreme Council Member and
Ruler of Sharjah.
We are particularly proud this year to be launching Sharjah
Publishing City (SPC) to coincide with the Book Fair. SPC is
the worlds first publishing Free Zone, giving the global book
industry the opportunity to capitalize on tax free privileges and
strategic access to markets in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
I hope you will take time to visit this facility with us.
I would like to thank again all our partners and friends
in the UAE and internationally for supporting the Fair over
many years and for their support and commitment to Sharjah
Publishing City, these partnerships that we have forged
across the world are of great importance to us and to the
Sharjah International Book Fair.
I am delighted also to welcome the UK as our Guest of
Honour as part of the UK/UAE 2017, a bilateral year of cultural
exchange between the United Kingdom and the United Arab
Emirates. I would like to thank our partners, The British Council;
the UKs Department for International Trade; the London Book
Fair; and the UK Publishers Association.
This year, 2017, marks our seventh Professional Program.
We have over 200 publishing professionals from more than
50 countries, including Bangladesh, China, South Africa,
Indonesia, Nigeria and Uzbekistan. The SIBF Translation
1
Welcome
by Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman
of Sharjah Book Authority
Grant, which was launched in 2011 with a $300k fund, has
to date facilitated the translation of over 300 titles, and
continues to grow. Last year, 767 applications for the grant
were submitted, a 236% increase from 2015. Grants were
awarded to 73 titles across 22 publishers in 2015, a 17%
increase over the previous year.
Members of the American Library Association (ALA) will
again be meeting their counterparts from the Arab world for
ALAs most ambitious international professional development
collaboration to date with over 300 professionals scheduled
to participate.
Our seventh Cultural Program sees a wide array of
international writers, including Vikas Swarup, Lisa Genova,
Mohammed Hanif, Sarfraz Manzoor, Lang Leav, Mohammed
Hasan Alwan, Youssef Rakha, Wasim Akram, Wasini al-Araj,
Ibrahim Nasrallah, Amir Taj al-Sir and Abdo Khal.
I can also announce that our agreement with Publishers
Weekly to publish the magazine in an Arabic edition has
come to fruition with the first issue available at the Fair.
Our successful co-operation with New York University also
continues this year with the Publishers Training Program,
in association with the NYU School of Professional Studies
(NYUSPS) Centre for Publishing.
I hope you enjoy A World of Words, designed to showcase
all the developments in the Arab market and to deepen our
understanding of the huge opportunities that exist within it,
and in the international publishing world which we serve.
2
A passion for knowledge
The noted scholar and author Jerry Brotton pays tribute to His Highness
Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah
Now more than ever, the world needs rulers like His Highness,
with his grasp of history and his belief in the importance of
the humanities. His project Knowledge without Borders has
circulated 1.6 million books to families across the Emirate.
He is the author of over 30 books of history and memoir,
most concentrating on the history of Sharjah and the Gulf,
all of them offering impeccable and highly detailed historical
research alongside a dignified insistence on not only situating
the region within the wider world, but also challenging dominant
assumptions about relations between East and West.
Tale of a City, his new book, is a further distinguished
addition to this work. As its title suggests, it is a striking evocation
of Sharjah from the mid 19th century up to the signing of the Air
Station Agreement with the British Government in 1932. His
Highnesss vivid descriptions and accompanying illustrations of
Sharjah during this period give us a fascinating glimpse of how
the Emirate has evolved in the intervening years.
Sharjah in 1925 consisted mainly of an irregular line of
houses overlooking the natural contours of the creek where
dozens of diving boats had been drawn up over time onto the
beach to protect them from the breaking waves. The main road
of the town extended between the boats on one side to the
other, where there were many one-storied houses all sporting
imposing facades (Tale of a City, pp. 54-55).
How times have changed!
But Tale of a City is more than just an evocation of times past.
It is also a scrupulously researched record of the rapidly shifting
political, economic and tribal alliances and divisions between
Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah, as they came together and
separated again during the late 19th and early 20th centuries,
culminating in Ras al-Khaimahs eventual reincorporation into
Sharjah in 1921. Woven throughout these complex relations is
the story of the British presence in the Gulf, its creation of the
Trucial States and the importance of Sharjah to Britains wider
imperial policy.
It is to His Highnesss credit that he is very even-handed in
his account of British interference in Sharjahs political life at this
time, including his description of the threat of bombardment
that was only narrowly averted in 1931. There are no villains in
Tale of a City: competing tribal rulers and imperial administrators
are all judged with the objective, dispassionate gaze of a scholar
who wishes to provide for posterity the most accurate account
possible of the history of his kingdom, and the importance of the
Gulf within the geopolitics of not just the 19th and early 20th
centuries, but perhaps more importantly, today.
The book ends with the progressive initiative that took place
in 1932: to define Sharjahs international position in the world;
the agreement between the Sultan and the British Government
for the establishment of the air station that would link England
with its Indian dominions. The station was an English imperial
initiative, but as His Highness points out, it also heralded the
opening of Sharjah to the wider world, an opportunity that
throughout his reign has allowed him to establish Sharjah as the
cultural Emirate.
His Highness and I share a passion for writing history
that attempts to understand the reasons for the enduring
misunderstandings that have bedeviled relations between
East and West over many centuries.
While in Tale of a City and in his previous book Under the
Flag of Occupation (2015), His Highness has concentrated on
Sharjah in the 19th century, he has also written important works
on the earlier periods, including Power Struggles and Trade in
the Gulf 1620-1820, and The Gulf in Historic Maps 1478-1861.
Like him, I have an interest in looking into the past to discover
the roots of our current problems. The encounters between
East and West in the past are less familiar to us and more
amicable than we might imagine.
Both His Highness and I love old maps, those remarkable
documents that for centuries put aside religious and sectarian
differences in the pursuit of knowledge without borders (that
evocative phrase again). My own books on the history of maps
have been at pains to show how early Arabic, Ottoman and
North African mapmakers played their role in the history of
cartography. This includes the mapping of the Gulf, which, as
His Highness knows from his own research, was often placed
on their maps at the centre of the world! His Highness is a great
connoisseur of maps, having a collection of some of the finest
in the world.
His Highness is also the author of many distinguished plays,
and I would enjoy talking to him about my most recent book,
This Orient Isle: Elizabethan England and the Islamic World,
and its argument that the Elizabethans, including William
Shakespeare, knew far more about the Islamic world than we
in the West have ever realized. Just as His Highness describes
the relations between Sharjah and the British in Tale of a
City, so I show how Queen Elizabeth I established close and
friendly diplomatic relations with the Ottomans, Safavids and
Barbary States. These relations found their way into the plays of
Shakespeare and his contemporaries.
The range of His Highnesss publications reflect his
cultural as well as political achievements over his long and
distinguished reign.
Jerry Brotton is Professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen
Mary, University of London, and the author of books
including A History of the World in 12 Maps, This Orient
Isle: Elizabethan England and the Islamic World, and The
Renaissance Bazaar: From the Silk Road to Michelangelo.
4
Highlights from the 2017
Sharjah Book Fair Professional Program
by Ed Nawotka, Publishers Weekly
The professional program at this years Sharjah International
Book Fair, which opens the fair and runs from October 30 to
November 1, once again offers a wide range of programming
offering insight and edification for attendees from the Gulf,
the rest of the Arabic-speaking world, and those visiting from
further abroad.
Following an opening greeting by Ahmed Al Ameri,
Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, well hear from Dutch
publisher Michiel Kolman, President of the International
Publishers Association, who succeeded to the post on January 1.
Kolman is Senior Vice President of Global Academic Relations at
Elsevier, one of the worlds top scientific, technical and medical
(STM) publishers. He served previously as IPA Vice President.
Earlier this year, Kolman underscored IPAs role: These
are challenging and rapidly changing times in the world of
publishing, but publishers have consistently shown themselves
to be highly adaptable, he said. We will need to build on that
further to continue to achieve the IPAs objectives, most notably
the protection of copyright and freedom to publish.
Mondays professional program in Sharjah will also showcase
a conversation with a trio of prominent Arabic language writers:
Lebanons Iman Humaydan, Saudi Arabias Mohammed Hasan
Alwan, and Egypts Youssef Rakha. Humaydan is one of the
most popular female writers in the Arab world and several of
her works have been translated into English, including the
novels B as in Beirut and Wild Mulberries. Alwan won the 2017
International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his novel A Small Death,
about the life of Sunni mystic Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi. The novel
traces the mystics life from his birth in Spain in 1165 to his death
in Damascus in 1240. A young, peripatetic writer himself, Alwan
said upon winning the prize that it was the nature of the mystics
adventurous life and his propensity for travel that drew him to
the story. Rakha is known for his challenging and experimental
style. An English translation of his first novel, The Book of the
Sultans Seal: Strange Incidents from History in the City of
Mars, was published by Interlink Books in 2015; The Crocodiles,
translated by Robin Moger, was published by Seven Stories that
same year. Sessions on translations to and from Arabic will round
out the program.
Furthermore on Monday, Gabriella Page-Fort,
AmazonCrossing editor will offer insights into the process
of literary translation and publishing. In seven years, her
Amazon Publishing imprint has become the biggest producer
of translated literature in the US market, having published
300 titles from 36 countries in 21 languages. Page-Fort
acquired 239 of those titles in 19 languages. Her list includes
the 1.5-million-copy-selling Hangmans Daughter series by
German writer Oliver Ptzsch and a wide array of award-
winning books from many countries, such as Zygmunt
Miloszewskis crime novel Rage, which won the prestigious
Paszport Polityki Prize for Literature in Poland; Mariam
Petrosyans The Gray House, winner of Russias Big Book Prize;
and Shion Miuras The Great Passage, which won a Japanese
Bestsellers Award.
Logistics can be especially daunting in the Gulf, with each
state having its own laws regarding content, importation
duties, and distribution challenges so attendees will be
eager to hear about the Sharjah Publishing City projects
latest developments. The new 200,000-sq.-ft. facility offers
administrative and logistical support for those looking to
publish, print, and distribute books throughout the world
without restrictions. The idea is that you can set up and open
for business in as little as 48 hours, says Ahmed Al Ameri.
The facility is expected to offer everything from warehousing
to printing, and its convenient location close to Dubai airport
makes it an ideal base for publishers looking to open up
new markets in the region, as well as facilitating shipping
expeditiously to Asia and Africa.
Thus far, publishers from a wide variety of countries and
regions, including the U.S., U.K., China, India, the Middle East,
South Korea, and Turkey have committed to taking space in
Sharjah Publishing City, which is all-but sold out. The expectation
is that 1,500 people will begin working in the facility soon, and
ultimately perhaps as many as 10,000. These will include
editors, translators, printers, accountants, attorneys, and other
staff that supports publishing, Al Ameri says. With Sharjah
Publishing City we hope to attract a diverse and dynamic group
of publishers to live and work in the U.A.E.
Tuesday mornings program features an exciting line-up
of top executives: Steve Potash, CEO of digital library services
provider Overdrive; John Ingram, Chairman of the publishing
services company Ingram Industries Inc.; Mari Bergeron,
Sr. Director of International content licensing EBSCO; and
Julie Attrill, whos responsible for rights at Wiley in the UK.

SIBF 2017: An Introduction
by Roger Tagholm
This is undoubtedly a fanfare year for the Sharjah International
Book Fair. It takes place during the UK-UAE Year of Culture,
part of which includes the special exhibition of a digital version
of the extremely rare Birmingham Quran (see page 9).
Meanwhile, if anyone doubted the emirates commitment
to books and how could they when the Ruler His Highness
Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed al Qasimi, Member of the
Supreme Council of the UAE, puts such resources behind
the countrys publishing industry official recognition came
with the announcement that Sharjah has been designated
UNESCO World Book Capital 2019.
As the first Gulf city to receive such an honor given to
the best city program aimed at promoting books it will surely
be a talking point in the halls at this years fair. Making the
announcement, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova said:
I applaud the nomination of Sharjah as the World Book Capital
as well as the efforts undertaken by the city in order to make
reading available to as many people as possible, in particular
the marginalized as a motor for social inclusion, creativity and
dialogue.
Support for reading is a core belief in Sharjah and indeed
its slogan for its tenure as UNESCO World Book Capital will
be Read You are in Sharjah. His Highness has long believed
that books and education are the key to personal development,
and his governments policies have always championed the
publishing sector. Schoolchildren are given a day off to visit the
book fair and the sight of so many children pouring through the
halls (are the girls the noisiest? Discuss) is one of the fairs most
familiar and anticipated sights.
His Highness believes that it is only through literature that
we learn to see the world through others eyes. The UAEs
first school and library were established in Sharjah, and the
funding of libraries today is in marked contrast to other parts
of the world, notably the UK. Sharjah is a believer in literature
as soft diplomacy, in the power of books to heal division and
if diplomacy on the international stage is about bringing
countries together, Sharjah performs admirably.
The fairs famous Rights Bazaar, held in the Chamber
of Commerce every year, is a little like speed dating, with
international publishers booking short appointments with
Arabic publishers and making use of Sharjahs generous
Translation Grants which provide $250,000 for translation
5
from Arabic to any language (or vice versa), and $50,000
from any language to a non-Arabic language. This grant
was established in 2011 and in 2016 the fair received 1200
applications.
Over the years the fair has built an impressive roster
of visiting authors, among them Arundhati Roy, William
Dalrymple, Jeffrey Archer, Cassandra Clare, Peter James,
Fatima Bhutto and Dan Brown, whose sell-out appearance in
2014 is still talked about. For some writers, it is their first time
in the Emirates and the book fair can rest assured that these
authors return to their native countries spreading positive
words about the support books receive in this part of the world.
The 36th edition of the fair is also taking place in a year
coinciding with the official opening of Sharjah Publishing City,
the ambitious publishing free zone that has already attracted
international publishers wishing to take advantage of the zones
tax advantages, as well as the Emirates strategic location
bridging east and west (see pages 10 and 11).
Annually, the Sharjah International Book Fair Awards
precede the opening of the fair. These are considered the Arabic
Oscars and honor both Emirati writers and figures from the wider
world of books. In 2016, the Lebanese intellectual and academic,
Dr. Ghassan Salame, former Lebanese Minister of Culture, was
named Cultural Personality of the Year in recognition of his long
and distinguished career and invaluable contribution to the Arab
cultural scene.
Dr Salame said of His Highness: You are the one who has
allowed Sharjah to become the lighthouse of culture between
east and west. You have attained the highest standards of
science, knowledge and culture. As a writer and scholar
yourself, you understand the needs of writers and because of
this, you have truly transformed Sharjah into a sustainable city
of culture. You have left the regions youth with a long-standing
heritage of which they can be proud. No one would challenge
those words.
Delegates who have been to the fair before will be familiar
with the 123-metre Sharjah Flagpole that can be seen from
the palm-lined waterfront Corniche. It is a well-known Sharjah
landmark, much loved by locals. This year it will undoubtedly
stand even taller, its colours even brighter and with good
reason, in this most triumphant of years for the Emirate where
books come first.
6
Reaching Milestones in
Arabic Literary Translation
by Ed Nawotka
In 1966, Al-Tayeb Salihs Season of Migration to the North
was published. The book was one of the first contemporary
novels written in Arabic to travel far beyond its borders, when
it was published in English just three years later as part of the
legendary Heinemann African Writers Series.
On December 18, 1973 the General Assembly of the United
Nations approved Arabic as an official UN language, forever
marking December 18 as Arabic Language Day.
Then in 1988, the Egyptian Naguib Mahfouz was the first
Arabic-language writer to win the Nobel Prize.
These are all significant milestones. But why, after all this
time and considering that Arabic is the fifth most-spoken
language in the world, is Mahfouz still the only Nobel Prize-
winner?
Well, it likely has to do with translation. The late Mark Linz,
director of the American University in Cairo Press, who died
in 2013, was instrumental in bringing Mahfouz to English-
language readers for the first time. English, being a gateway
language, helped bring Mahfouz and scores of other authors
Linz published in translation, to the world. Alas, translation
cannot only go in one direction and here lies the problem.
In 2002, Jordanian researcher Dr. Rima Khalaf Hunaidi,
then director of the Arab regional office in the U.N.
Development Program, issued a report that studied book
publishing and other habits among Arabs. She discovered
that the total number of books translated into Arabic was
typically no more than 330 per year. The report went on to
say that the total number of books translated into Arabic
during the 1,000 years since the age of Caliph Al-Mamun,
the ninth-century ruler, was then less than those translated
in Spain in one year. This lack of translation was later
underscored when UNESCO, which has been tracking literary
translations since 1932, said over the thirty-year period from
1979 to 2009, that just 11,500 books were translated into
Arabic from across the world.
Fortunately, just a short time later, those numbers are
woefully outdated, said Chip Rossetti, the managing editor
of the Library of Arabic Literature translation series at NYU
Press, which publishes pre-modern Arabic texts in facing-page
bilingual English/Arabic editions. The number of projects
translating books into Arabic in recent years have been vast
and well supported. Many of worlds most important books
have already translated into Arabic or are in the process
thereof.
And the range of titles being translated gets broader
every year. Rossetti cites the work of Egyptian-Lebanese
publishing house Dar al-Tanweer which has published Arabic
language translations of everything from difficult books, such
as Thomas Pikettys Capital in the Twenty-First Century and
works by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, to more commercial fare,
such as George R.R. Martins Game of Thrones series and Paula
Hawkins Girl on a Train. Another publisher, notes Rossetti, Dar
al Arabi in Cairo, actively seeks out titles to translate from even
more exotic locales. It has an eclectic list of Arabic translations,
ranging from the Chinese hipster novel Running Through
Beijing by Xu Ze Chin to Icelandic dystopian enviro-thriller
LoveStar by Andri Snar Magnason.
When one looks at some recent statistics produced by
Arabic language online bookseller Neelwafurat, the company
estimates that the number of titles per year produced in
Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
combined which together account for some 80% of book
production amounts to approximately 17,500 titles annually,
so about 15-20% of all books are translations.
Nevertheless, Arabic still ranks 29th on the top 50 list of
target languages, that is in translation to Arabic, according
to the latest UNESCO Index Translation Statistics. Where it is
stronger is in translations from Arabic to other languages: there
it ranks 17th on the list of original language translation.
Rossetti confirmed this: My impression is that there has
been an increasing awareness of Arabic language authors and
far more books coming into English and other languages from
Arabic than ever before. I can say that in the United States, over
the past four or five years, there are also more presses willing to
publish them.
This is leading to recognition as well. In 2017 in the United
States, the PEN Translation Prizes counted two Arabic-
language titles on its longlist: Confessions by Rabee Jaber,
(which was also a finalist) published by New Directions,
translated from the Arabic by Kareem James Abu-Zeid and
Limbo Beirut by Hilal Chouman, published by the University of
Texas Press, translated from the Arabic by Anna Ziajka Stanton.
Whats more, the American Literary Translation Association
shortlisted No Knives in the Kitchens of This City by Khaled
Khalifa, published by American University of Cairo Press and
translated by Leri Price, for its National Translation Award.
Other books that have recently captured US readers
imaginations as well include titles such as The Corpse
Exhibition, selected as one of PWs ten Best Books of the Year,
a dark and inventive story collection of post-2003 US invasion
Iraq by Hassan Blasim, published by Penguin, translated
by Jonathan Wright, or The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz, a
difficult, dystopian novel depicting events in Egypt post-Arab
Spring published by Melville House and translated by
Elisabeth Jaquette.
The image of the appeal of Arabic is changing; it is no
longer the dull corner of publishing that it used to be, the
source for the odd one-off novel, said Rossetti. Its now highly
desirable and the best authors and books are highly sought
after much the same as those from any other language.
Arabic, as a language of contemporary international
translated literature, has come of age.

Buying and
Selling Rights in Sharjah
by Ed Nawotka
Starting in 2011, the Sharjah Book Authority began
offering grant support for publishers looking to acquire
rights while at the Sharjah International Book Fair. The grant
program intends to facilitate cross-cultural exchange and
offers various levels of funding support to Arab and foreign
publishers for the translation of literary works into various
languages. The support is generous, with as much as
$4,000 available for general titles and $1,500 for childrens
books. Overall, the fund supports up to $300,000 of
grants each year.
Before the launch of the grant, the Sharjah Books
Authority was translating five or six books from Arabic each
year. Since its launch, 345 books have been translated
with the support of the Authority, covering a wide range of
subjects and genres. The largest percentage of books have
been works for children (44%), followed by fiction (34%)
and nonfiction (17%). Other works translated have included
young adult books, cookbooks and political works.
Last year was the strongest year yet for the program, with
767 applications for grants representing a 236% increase
over the previous year. Of those, 208 have been approved
to date, from a wide range of companies and countries.
Among the many notable publishers winning grants include
Arab Scientific Publishers, Dar Al Adab, Dar Al-Saqi, Al
Arabi Publishing and Distributing, The Ismael Tree, Nepko
Publishing, Yapi Kredi Kultur Sanat Yayincilik, among others.
Sellers included Akashic Books in the United States, the
Brazilian Book Chamber, Atlantyca from Italy, the Elinha
Ahlback Literary Agency in Finland, Hachette Childrens
Group, Gemser Publications from Spain, Peoples Literature
Publishing House of China, and others.
To cite just one example of success, Sheikha Bodour Al
Qasimi, founder of the Sharjah-based Kalimat Group, notes
that the company was able to strike a significant deal with
Bloomsbury Publishing UK. Under the agreement, the
companies are exchanging a number of titles for translation
each year, with Kalimat Group publishing books from
Bloomsburys portfolio of titles translated into Arabic and
Bloomsbury reciprocating by publishing from Kalimats list
in English, Al Qasimi said. Kalimat also struck an agreement
with Quarto Publishing, for the two companies to form a new
imprint to publish and distribute Quarto titles throughout the
Middle East and North Africa.
As for agents and publishers traveling from abroad,
Sharjah generously sponsors a fellowship program that
facilitates introductions to other publishers and rights agents
during the Professional Program.
One agent who has participated is Marleen Seegers,
founder of Californias 2 Seas Literary Agency. Seegers
advises participants to prepare as much as they can in
advance. In spite of the many countries covered by the
7
language area, Arabic publishers travel personally to every
book fair in the region, so they all tend to know each other
well, she said. Knowing some Arabic publishers beforehand
can be very helpful: when I attended the SIBF in 2014 I
knew Sherif Bakr from Al Arabi in Egypt, and he was so kind
to introduce me to several others on the first day, whom
I all ended up meeting with. This personal introduction
was essential for me to get to know this the market and its
participants better.
Chrysothemis Armefti, also of 2 Seas Agency, says,
Because of how the Translation Grant applications are
contacted, I would advise rights sellers who are visiting for
the first time not to pitch more than two or three titles per
meeting. The reason being that any application for a grant
requires filling in an Expression of Interest Form during
the same session, signed by both parties, and delivered
by the end of the day to the SIBF. And also, remember to
bring a stack of business cards, as you need to staple them
on to the applications! In 2016, 2 Seas was able to sell the
Dutch literary fiction title The House of the Mosque by Kader
Abdolah to a publisher in Albania; and Arabic rights for an
American business title, Education that Works by Dr. James
Stellar, were sold to Arab Nile Group.
Yasmina Jraissati, founder of the Beirut-based Raya
Literary Agency for Arabic literature, advises, The main
challenge in both selling and acquiring rights, is that foreign
editors lack contextual information to be able to get a good
answer to ordinary questions like: Who is this author, or this
publisher? Why is this book interesting? They have very few
tools to get a sense of the landscape. Perhaps the only way
is to attend the fair regularly, year after year, to establish
continuity. I know this is costly in terms of time investment,
but if anyone is serious about the Arab market, this is truly
the only way.
She notes that it is important to take a minute or two to
tell Arabic publishers exactly the kind of books one likes,
highlighting not just the topic, but the writing style and
structure and then, after hearing a pitch, ask detailed
questions to be sure youre getting what you want. And
always ask or inquire about books that are not on the for
sale list, she says. It will help you to get a better feel for the
publishers list.
When sitting on the other side of the table, Jraissati
says that if a book is not a best-seller, or very specialized,
Arabic translation rights can be more difficult to sell. Only
a handful of publishers actively translate fiction into Arabic.
The fact that SIBF precisely funds such translations is a great
plus, and it widens the horizon. Again, she emphasizes that
the more forehand knowledge one has of a publisher and
his/her specific market, which can be sensitive to cultural
differences, the better one will be prepared to score a deal.
8
4th Sharjah International Book Fair/American Library
Association Library Conference set for November 7-9
by Michael Dowling
Now in its 4th year, the Sharjah International Book Fair(SIBF)/
American Library Association (ALA) Library Conference has
established itself as a major yearly event in the Middle East,
attracting hundreds of librarians from across the region, and
beyond, to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This
year, ALA President James Neal will be the opening keynote, as
the conference continues to focus on the Libraries Transform
theme. The conference offers librarians from all types of
libraries (academic, school, public, and special libraries) the
chance to learn from international experts from within and
outside the region.
And with the announcement by UNESCO that Sharjah
will be the World Book Capital in 2019, the conference
promises to energize and inspire attendees with new ideas
and new connections that will help further the transformation
of their libraries. The conference sessions are bi-lingual, with
simultaneous translation in Arabic and English.
On November 7th, librarians will have the opportunity
of full-day preconferences, including the in-demand
Assessment in Action: Demonstrating and Communicating
Library Contributions to Student Learning and Success
workshop of the Association of College & Research Libraries
(ACRL).
The full two-day conference, November 8-9, features
concurrent interactive programs of wide interest, with topics
such as top trends, open resources, and innovative thinking
models, but also specific tracks by type of library. For academic
librarians, Dr. Mustafa Abdelwahid, Director of Library, Al-Faisal
University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will focus on the integration
of library services into the curriculum. ACRLs new information
literacy framework will be a hot topic as will be the concept of
personal librarians on campus.
Public librarians will be able to learn from their regional
colleagues in Tunisia, Egypt, and the UAE about transformative
services like online book clubs. Rivkah Sass, Director of the
Sacramento Public Library in California, will provide salient
approaches to empowering and directing staff; Melanie
Huggins, Executive Director of the Richland Library, Columbia,
South Carolina, re-envisions the library as a catalyst for solving
community problems and creating opportunities for the
community to learn, create, and share.
Library Journal School Librarian of the Year Todd
Burelson, Media Specialist at the Hubbard Woods Library
in Winnetka, Illinois, and Wendy Garland, Avery Elementary
School, Dedham, Massachusetts, will join three winners of
the first-ever School Librarians of the Year Awards in the
United Arab Emirates, to present a series of programs on
transformative initiatives taking place in their libraries.
Attendees have access to a Librarians Lounge, sponsored
by SIBF and library-related companies, for informal networking
and information about new products and services. This years
conference Platinum sponsors are Ingram Content Group and
NexusLib; Gold sponsors are GOBI-EBSCO and Overdrive.
Exhibitors include Alzad; Association for Supervision &
Curriculum Development Publishers; Books Kinokuniya;
Gresswell/Demco Interiors; Human Kinetics Publishers;
Knowledge E; and National Science Teachers Assn Publishers.
In addition to the enlightening programs, attendees will
learn from each other during the poster sessions featuring
20 case studies across the library spectrum. The 2017 Library
conference will be held in conjunction with the 36th SIBF at
the Sharjah Expo Centre, which runs from November 1-11. The
librarians will be able to combine the conferences professional
development with discovering and acquiring materials for their
libraries. SIBF is one of the largest book fairs in the world. In
2016, there were 1420 publishing houses from 60 countries
exhibiting at SIBF and over 1.5 million books in 210 languages
on display. Attendance at the Fair exceeds 2 million visitors.
The conference is managed by SIBF, ALAs International
Relations Office, and Combined Book Exhibit (sponsor liaison).
SIBF representatives, including the Sharjah Book Authority
Chairman Ahmed Al Ameri, have fostered the partnership by
attending and exhibiting at recent ALA conferences to offer
information and resources to U.S. libraries that showcase
UAE culture and libraries and help the libraries build related
collections of materials.
Serving librarians and libraries for over 140 years, the
ALA provides leadership for the development, promotion,
and improvement of library and information services and the
profession of librarianship to enhance learning and ensure
access to information for all. ALA currently has 1,700 members
from 93 countries outside of the United States. The content of
the SIBF/ALA conference reflects ALAs key action areas and
core values, including literacy, education and lifelong learning,
advocacy for libraries and the profession, diversity, equitable
access to information and library services, transforming
libraries, excellence and innovation, and expanding library
services. For additional information, please contact the ALA
International Relations Office at intl@ala.org.
Michael Dowling is Director of ALAs International
Relations Office

Ancient manuscript brings
Quran Closer
Fragments of manuscript possibly
dating from shortly after the
founding of Islam will be on display at
the Sharjah International Book Fair.
Roger Tagholm reports
It could be one of the oldest Qurans in the world and the
person who inscribed its verses may even have known the
Prophet Muhammad himself. Now a digital version of the
Birmingham Quran so-called because an alert PhD student
at Birmingham University in the U.K. decided to take a closer
look at fragments of ancient text in the universitys collection
of Middle Eastern books and documents is on display at this
years Sharjah International Book Fair.
The importance of these pieces of manuscript cannot be
overstated. They are written on parchment goat or sheep
skin treated with an alkali solution such as lime, and left to
dry under tension their author using a reed pen dipped in
brown pigment. Tests carried out by the Oxford University
Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit show that, with a probability
of more than 95%, they date from between 568 and 645.
Birmingham University deduces from the handwriting that
they may have been created in the Hejaz area to the west of the
Arabian Peninsula, which includes the Islamic sacred cities of
Mecca and Medina.
David Thomas, Professor of Christianity and Islam at
Birmingham University, said: [The fragments] could well take
us back to within a few years of the actual founding of Islam.
According to Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad
received the revelations that form the Quran, the scripture of
Islam, between the years 610 and 632, the year of his death.
9
The person who actually wrote it could well have known the
Prophet Muhammad. He would probably have seen him and he
would maybe have heard him preach. He may have known him
personally and that is really quite a thought to conjure with.
The Exhibition at this years Book Fair is part of the UK Guest
of Honour Programme, in the UK/UAE 2017 Year of Creative
Collaboration between the UK and the UAE. The University
of Birmingham in partnership with the British Council and
with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge
Development as strategic partner, presents a digital exhibition
of the Birmingham Quran manuscript; a piece consisting of two
parchment leaves of the Quran that have been radiocarbon
dated to the early seventh century, making them one of the
earliest examples of the Islamic holy book in existence.
The manuscripts are part of the Mingana Collection of more
than 3,000 Middle Eastern documents gathered in the 1920s
by Alphonse Mingana, a Catholic priest born in the ancient
kingdom of Chaldea in what is now modern-day Iraq. To read
about their history is to enter a rich, sepia-tinted, late nineteenth/
early twentieth century world of Arabian exploration, a period
when academics and scholars explored the region, making
discoveries that form the core of western collections today.
Mingana settled in the U.K. at the invitation of James
Rendell Harris, an English biblical scholar who was director
of studies at the Society of Friends Woodbroke College in
Selly Oak, Birmingham. Mingana worked at the college for
two years during which time he met Dr Edward Cadbury, the
Quaker owner of the famous Cadbury chocolate factory in
neighbouring Bournville.
Cadbury had an interest in religion and wanted to make
Woodbroke both the intellectual and spiritual heart of the Society
of Friends. In the 1920s he financed three trips that Mingana
made to the Middle East to collect ancient Sryiac and Arabic
manuscripts Minganas excitement at some of his discoveries can
be seen in a letter he wrote to Cadbury on 24 October 1925. Last
week I had acquired 100 Syriac manuscripts. Today, I am in a
position to report that I have about 250 manuscripts. This is more
than my expectations could dream of. Hallelujah!
After working at the John Rylands Library in Manchester,
cataloging its rare Arabic manuscripts, Mingana moved back
to Birmingham in 1932 to focus on cataloging the collection.
The first catalogue describing 606 Syriac manuscripts was
published in 1933.
Cadbury named the collection after its first curator and
today, the University of Birminghams Mingana collection
has manuscripts representing more than 20 languages and
spanning a period of 4,000 years.
For many years, the precious Birmingham Qurran
fragments had been bound alongside leaves of a similar Quran
manuscript in the collection, thought to date from the late
seventh century. But a PhD research student, Dr. Alba Fedeli,
identified the script as Hijazi, one of the earliest Arabic scripts,
and that led the university to carbon date the fragments.
Muslims and historians are captivated. It is extraordinary
to think that the person who made these brushstrokes may
have heard the Prophet Muhammad preach. The reaction of
Muhammad Afzal, Chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque,
demonstrates how these ancient fragments have reached across
the centuries. When I saw these pages I was very moved, he
said. There were tears of joy and emotion in my eyes
10

Sharjah Publishing City

Prepares for formal launch as
international interest builds
 11

Sharjah Publishing City (SPC), the worlds first publishing and

printing free zone, will have a formal launch at the 2017 Sharjah
International Book Fair. Established by His Highness Sheikh Dr.
Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah and a member
of the Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates,
the City offers tenants the opportunity to capitalize on tax-free
privileges while benefiting from a status as wholly independently
owned and managed companies. Companies setting up in SPC
will enjoy the benefits of operating in an ideally placed publishing
hub, with easy access to the Middle Eastern, African, European and
Asian regions marketplaces.
The city falls under the aegis of the Sharjah Book Authority,
which HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi established
in 2013. The Authority also manages the Sharjah International
Book Fair, the Sharjah Childrens Reading Festival, and Sharjah
Public Libraries.
12
Q&A with
Michiel Kolman, President of the
International Publishers Association
Have you visited the Sharjah International Book Fair before?
No, 2017 will be my first Sharjah book fair and I am really
looking forward to enjoying the great program and speakers
lined up this year.
What do you see as the principal issues for the IPA to handle?
The IPA represents publishers around the world that are
active in a whole range of publishing areas, from childrens
books, literary works to academic and educational works. As
such there is a wide range of issues that the IPA can cover but
these can be categorized into two main topics.
The first is to recognize that in many cases, during the
process of providing tools and services to authors, publishers
assume the same risks as writers. Underpinning this
relationship is copyright, an indispensable legal instrument
that protects the rights of creators and publishers.
In todays society which is so focused on technology and
online media, publishers remain concerned about piracy and
its ability to undermine the fundamentals of the publishing
industry. Without a good framework for intellectual property
rights, there is too little investment and innovation, which
endangers quality publishing. I believe that publishers
should stand as beacons of trustworthiness in an age of fake
news and alternative facts and we must as publishers take a
leading role in providing trustworthy, reliable information
its the core of what we do and we need a robust copyright
framework to that.
Qua Foto Jeanette Cornelisse
The second principal issue is that fundamental to
publishing is having the freedom to disseminate written ideas
and protect and encourage creators. Freedom to Publish
is one of the core pillars of the IPA and central to much of
what we do. For example, just last week, we awarded the IPA
Prix Voltaire at the Gothenburg Book Fair, which rewards
exemplary courage in upholding the freedom to publish
and in enabling others to exercise their right to freedom of
expression. We have also been engaged on issues such as the
imminent trial of Turkish writer Asli Erdoan and many others.
Tell us about the progress made on copyright issues in
the Middle East.
In the UAE and across the region there is a clear understanding
that authors and content creators deserve to have their work
recognized and protected. This had been demonstrated over
the past two decades with several countries in the region
modernizing their copyright and intellectual property protection
frameworks. The UAE in particular has taken significant steps at
protecting copyright and IP. The country is a signatory to WTO-
TRIPS, the WIPO Copyright Treaty, as well as the Berne and Paris
Conventions. It also passed several laws that largely comply with
international standards of IP protection
In 2004, the government also introduced a Ministerial
decree which provides the legal foundation for establishing
collective societies in the country, which gives the UAE the
opportunity to create the first RRO in the region.

With all this progress, there are still several challenges
the UAE face when it comes to protecting copyright.
Enforcement is really where several of the countries in the
region struggle, particularly as it relates to new forms of digital
content. The regulatory environment could also benefit
from expanding provisions to address on-line copyright
infringements, and extending the length of protection that
copyright laws provide.
Free speech is another sensitive issue. What will be your
message to your audience in Sharjah?
Upholding freedom to publish ensures diversity of sources
of knowledge and provides access to information that is
essential for cultural diversity, creativity, prosperity, tolerance,
and social development. Unfortunately, several countries in
the Middle East face important challenges when it comes to
freedom of expression. In the UAE, there have been several
initiatives to promote freedom of expression and freedom to
publish, such as the prioritization of freedom of expression
in the work of the UAE National Commission for Education,
Culture and Science.
We at the IPA believe in a dialogue-based approach to
engaging countries and member associations where these
challenges are more apparent. We aim to give voice to
publishers and publishers associations around the world to
help them advocate for change, although there is no one-
size-fits-all approach to effectively engage with countries on
highly contextual issues like freedom to publish.
Our member, the Emirates Publishers Association has
been active in supporting member associations in the region
to promote dialogue and lobby for change. Some recent
activities include:
Participating in a panel as part of the 3rd Arab Publishers
Association Conference which openly discussed the
limitations on the freedom to publish and freedom of
expression in the region, and affirmed that these freedoms
are basic human rights.
Working with the Saudi Publishers Association to help fine-
tune its approach to addressing freedom to publish issues
which culminated in the creation of a freedom to publish
committee by the Association
Issuing public statements condemning freedom to publish
issues in countries like Turkey and Mauritania
How do you view the development of Sharjah
Publishing City?
The UAE has transitioned from being a country with a small
domestic publishing industry to becoming a regional publishing
hub in a very short time. With the announcement of the creation
of the worlds first free zone dedicated for the publishing
industry, Sharjah has become a global publishing industry hub.
Given its geographic location and services, Sharjah
Publishing City will play a strong role in helping emergent
13
publishers bring innovative, unique voices from around the
world to market. This initiative will not only nurture the growth
of domestic companies to compete on a world stage, but will
also enable publishers to benefit fully from the globalization
of the industry. It will also help Sharjah capitalize on interest
from global and regional publishers in the UAE not just as a
sales destination but as a more permanent operational base
to access emerging publishing markets.
Sharjah being named UNESCO World Book Capital 2019
is testament to the pride Sharjah takes in its cultural industries
and innovations like Sharjah Publishing City to develop the UAE
as a global publishing hub. Sharjah Publishing City provides a
compelling value proposition for global publishers by:
Enhancing access to manuscripts, translators and editors
Providing state-of-the-art infrastructure, printing, and
logistics facilities
Providing access to the Middle Easts largest book
distribution company and regional marketing and sales
support
Reducing the cost of key publishing inputs, such as paper,
to promote cost efficiencies that will reduce the cost of
book production
Providing access to capacity-building programs and local
and regional grants and awards programs
Sharjah Publishing City aims to become the regional
operating base for 400 publishers by November 2017.
Elsevier is often portrayed as the corporate villain by
advocates of open academic publishing. How do you
respond to such attacks?
Allow me to address this as IPA President. The widespread
model in the publishing world is where the readers pays
(often directly, sometimes by viewing advertisement, etc.).
A model where the author pays is highly exceptional and
seems only to be embraced in the world of academic
publishing. As such in STM publishing you have mixed
business models. On one hand you have clear leaders
like PLoS and eLife that publish high quality open access
journals which follow the author pay model. On the other
hand, you have players like SpringerNature and Elsevier
that offer both the subscription model (where the
reader pays) and the author pays model. The surprising
development is that both Elsevier and SpringerNature are
now open access powerhouses and have done so without
compromising quality.
Elsevier continues to support open access and this has
been reinforced with the exciting recent acquisitions such as
SSRN and Bepress. These online platforms help the scientific
community to collaborate and share their research, often in
open ways and are examples of great innovative solutions that
are being developed within the STM industry.
More info: https://www.elsevier.com/about/open-science
14
Country of Honourthe UK
The UK is the designated Country of Honour for the Sharjah
International Book Fair (SIBF) 2017, as part of UK/UAE 2017,
a bilateral year of creative collaboration between the United
Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
Country of Honour will showcase excellence in
contemporary British publishing, brands, and writing. Among
the highlights of the programme will be a display of the
Birmingham Quran manuscript, which is a considered a global
treasure and is currently held at the University of Birminghams
Cadbury Research Library (see page 9).
The Department for International Trade (DIT) London Region,
ERDFs Global Growth Project and the UK Publishers Association
are organizing a stand at the heart of the Book Fair for two
dedicated trade days. UK publishers attending SIBF will be able
to meet new business partners from the entire Arab region and
find new export and translation rights trading opportunities.
The British Council has organized a programme of literary
events highlighting contemporary British writing and with the
participation of leading authors including Neel Mukherjee
(see page 20) and Peter Frankopan.
Further initiatives will be presented by The London Book
Fair in association with SIBF on the theme of Book and Brand
Britain, an exhibit and content programme that explores
the enduring value and flexibility of British brandsfrom the
Monarchy to Matilda and other Roald Dahl properties, and
from Enid Blyton to Ian Fleming and to William Shakespeare, in
all formats. Authors Kate Williams and Claudia Joseph will take
part in the events.
Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority,
said: This is the first time that we have had a Country of
Honour at the Sharjah International Book Fair and this is a
further strengthening of the bond between our two countries.
We look forward to a fruitful cultural exchange, in particular
with British authors coming to Sharjah.
Cortina Butler, Director of Literature at the British Council,
said: UK/UAE 2017 will provide an exceptional opportunity
for cultural exchange between UAE and the UK and we are
delighted that one of the highlights will be the
UK Country of Honour appearance at the Sharjah International
Book Fair. Sharjah has always stressed the importance of books
and literacy and the Fair is a wonderful platform for us to share
the best of UK literature with the people of the Emirates.
Commenting on the Birmingham Quran exhibition,
University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor Professor
Sir David Eastwood said: The Birmingham Quran manuscript
is of huge significance to Muslim heritage and the academic
study of Islam. We are immensely proud to host such a treasure
at the University of Birmingham.
By bringing this interactive digital exhibition to the
UAE for the first time, we are privileged to offer an opportunity
for people to celebrate this holy work. Together with the
development of our campus in Dubai, this exhibition
symbolizes the Universitys deep commitment to working
with partners in UAE to enhance academic opportunities and
cultural understanding.
Stephen Lotinga, Chief Executive of the UK Publishers
Association, said: The 2017 Country of Honour will provide a
great platform for UK publishers to visit Sharjah and explore the
many opportunities the Emirate and its neighbors have to offer.
The PA looks forward to working with its sister organization,
the Emirates Publishers Association, to maximize relationships
and explore partnerships between the UK and UAE publishing
industries.
Jacks Thomas, Director of The London Book Fair, said: We
are delighted to be working with all our partners to celebrate
the UK as Country of Honour at the Sharjah International Book
Fair. I am particularly proud to be bringing great British brands
to Sharjah.
Jim James, Senior International Trade Adviser of DIT
(UK), said: The UK has a long-standing and warm relationship
with the UAE which has been an important trading partner
for many years. Exports to the UAE are worth over 37million
to the UK and we look forward to further enhancing the ties
between our two countries.
UK/UAE 2017 is a year of creative collaboration
and cultural exchange between the United Kingdom and the
United Arab Emirates, organized by the British Council, the
UKs international organization for education and culture,
under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme
Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and HRH The Prince of
Wales. The purpose of UK/UAE 2017 is to celebrate the long-
standing relationship between the UK and the UAE, giving it
greater focus, depth and contemporary relevance.

Hachette Antoine : Publishing and Bookselling in the Lebanon
by Roger Tagholm
Sharjah is one of the most important and most joyful book
fairs we attend, says Emile Tyan, CEO and General Manager
of Hachette Antoine, the unusual joint venture equally
owned by publisher Hachette Livre in France and Lebanese
bookseller and publisher Librarie Antoine. Tyan says that as
a publisher and bookseller the fair is invaluable because we
see how our new titles are appreciated by the public; we see
if our marketing is working we see all our customers, our
distributors around the Arab world; everyone is there. And
it is joyful because it is so well-organised and we deal with
people who speak straight.
Hachette Antoine was established in 2010, bringing
together one of Lebanons oldest and most distinguished
booksellers, Librarie Antoine, and the giant global
Hachette empire. But Tyan stresses that the company is
totally independent of Librarie Antoine and Hachette,
with its own agenda, its own separate business. He adds
that the joint venture came about because Hachette
wanted to be present in all the big markets, and at the time
they did not have a presence in the Arab World, Russia or
China. So they invested in these three regions. Its aim is to
be one of the leading publishers in the Arab World for trade
and school books.
Hachette Antoine publishes around 200 titles a year, 150
of which are trade and the rest educational. It has a number
of childrens licences Disney, Brainquest and Sesame Street
and also translates Arabic childrens titles. It publishes
around 20 novels a year, split between French books bought
from French publishers, and English titles acquired from
agents. We would like to introduce Young Adult books in the
Arab World they havent really taken off here but first we
have to create the demand.
Librarie Antoine was founded in 1933 by Tyans
grandfather, Antoine Naufal. His two brothers, Pierre
and Emile, joined the business in 1935, and by 1960 they
had opened three stores. In 1970, Pierre founded Naufal
Publishing which published some Arabic titles. Rapid
expansion came between 1985 and 2009 when Libairie
Antoine opened a number of stores in malls to make it a
13-strong chain of bookstores.
Today it has 15 stores, chiefly in Beirut and its suburbs,
comprising 11 general stores and a number of concessions in
15
universities and schools. The company is a respected survivor.
In 1975-76, during the Lebanese civil war, there was a fire and
looting at its three stores in central Beirut and the head office
was moved out of the city.
Business today is tough, according to Tyan, though there
are reasons for optimism too. Physical books are fine we
have maintained the same level of sales, though some
reference areas have been hit. But for novels and childrens
books we dont have problems.
However the [geopolitical] situation in Arab countries
doesnt help. We used to have a lot of people from the Gulf
who loved to come to our bookstores they were very good
customers, but they are not traveling to Lebanon anymore
because of security issues and political reasons.
The competition that physical books face from ebooks
is an issue too, though Tyan notes that Amazon is not yet a
threat. Digital books in Lebanon are still a very small market
we dont have Amazon and we dont have the iBookstore
because Arabic is not yet available.
Our prime concern is real estate. The cost of real estate
is very high. Bookstores need a lot of space. If we dont have a
special rate, Im not sure bookstores are sustainable. Yet almost
in the same breath Tyan notes that the many dark predictions
about printed books and bookstores have proved untrue.
Really I am against all extreme views people have
said there wont be any printed books, there wont be any
bookstores. I have seen a lot of new products come in and
then go away like CD Roms for example. But we are still
selling printed books, and I think that will continue. We just
have to be ingenious and find new solutions, to find new
product.
On the latter he says the chain opened a new concept
store in Beirut Souks in 2012, which sells more non-book, gift
and gadget items. We were afraid that our customers would
react badly, but they didnt, so we now stock a range of this
non-book product, Tyan says.
How does he think his grandfather would react coming into
the stores today? I hope he would be proud that we are still
here. He always said that we dont have to look backward, that
we shouldnt look to the past. He said we should always look
forward, always change and adapt and look to the future.
A good message for any business.
16
UNESCO World Book Capital
The nomination as UNESCO World Book Capital
2019 is among Sharjahs highest accolades. The honor
acknowledges the emirates long-standing commitment to
books and culture and is undoubtedly a personal triumph
for the emirates Ruler, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin
Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the UAEs Supreme
Council, who has worked tirelessly to build a book industry in
the country since he took office in 1971.
Sharjahs aim is to use its tenure as UNESCO World Book
Capital to increase reading across the emirate and to promote
books as fundamental to self-improvement. Its slogan for
the year will be Read You are in Sharjah, and the hope is to
increase book reading across all sectors of society, with plans
that include a particular focus on inclusivity, on acknowledging
and involving Sharjahs rich, multicultural population.
The organizers are acutely aware that reading and access
to literature increases empathy and understanding of other
people, and thus reduces conflict. Longer term, it is hoped that
the initiatives put in place for World Book Capital will address
the worrying statistics from ALECSO (the Arab Leagues
Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation) that
revealed an overall illiteracy rate of 35.6% in the Arab World,
compared with a global rate of 18%.
Sharjahs year as UNESCO World Book Capital will
begin with an Olympic style opening ceremony at the Al
Majaz Amphitheatre in Khalid Lagoon, after which the
program will cover six themes: Inclusivity, Reading, Heritage,
Outreach, Publishing, and Children. The UAE is home to
more than six million expats who account for approximately
83% of the population. Most are from India (42.3%) or
the Philippines (12%), and these two large demographic
groups will be specifically targeted with a range of tailored
promotions and events.
The designation UNESCO World Book Capital will enhance
Sharjahs status as the cultural emirate and will be used to
market the city as a top destination for cultural tourism. Closer
to home it is hoped its impact will be felt among the young, with
teachers using the title to emphasize the importance of reading
and as a way of demonstrating Sharjahs status around the
world when it comes to books.
Sharjahs belief in the role books and education have to play
in boosting empathy and healing division are in accordance
with the aims of UNESCO, as stated in its founding constitution
in 1945 which talks about promoting collaboration among
the nations through education, science and culture in order to
further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for
the human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The nomination of Sharjah as UNESCO World Book Capital
follows the city being named UNESCO Cultural Capital of
the Arab World in 1998, and its year as Islamic Cultural Capital
in 2014, an honour bestowed by the Islamic Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Established in 2001, the UNESCO World Book Capital
initiative was first suggested by International Publishers
Association (IPA) President Pere Vicens in 1996. Having
established April 23rd as World Book and Copyright Day in that
year in Madrid, the IPA, inspired by the successful experience
of Madrid, initiated nominating the best city program aimed at
promoting books during the period between one Book Day
and the next.
Following the IPAs idea, and a proposal by the Government
of Spain supported by many other countries, the UNESCO
General Conference decided, on November 2nd, 2001,
that the Organization would grant its moral and intellectual
support to the conception and implementation of the World
Book Capital City initiative. It would invite the international
professional organizations of the book industry to work
together to see it become a reality.
Today, following a public call for entries, the nominating
committee (formed of the IPA, the International Federation of
Library Associations and UNESCO) meets in order to appoint a
World Book Capital City.
The city may hold the title for one designated year, from
April 23rd (UNESCO World Book Day) until April 22nd of the
following year. During that year the World Book Capital city
undertakes to organize and run a large number of events around
books, literature and reading. The program brings together the
local and national book industries and puts books and book
culture in the public eye. It attracts sponsorship and extra funding
for book related institutions. The program also raises awareness
for literacy and reading issues, libraries and bookshops, and
highlights the overall benefits of a lively book culture.
There have been 18 World Book Capitals, as follows: Madrid
(2001); Alexandria (2002); New Delhi (2003); Antwerp (2004);
Montreal (2005); Turin (2006); Bogota (2007); Amsterdam
(2008); Beiruit (2009); Ljubljana (2010); Buenos Aires (2011);
Yerevan (2012); Bangkok (2013); Port Harcourt (2014); Incheon
(2015); Wroclaw (2016); Conakry (2017); and Athens (2018).
Sharjah becomes the first Gulf city to hold the honor and
people can hardly wait.
 17
Vikas Swarup is a multi-award winning fiction author and
Indian diplomat. He is currently High Commissioner of
India to Canada and formerly the official spokesperson of
the Ministry of External Affairs of India.
His novel Q&A was adapted into the Oscar-winning
movie Slumdog Millionaire, which won eight Oscarsthe
largest total won by a single film since The Lord of the
Rings: The Return of the King. Critically acclaimed in India
and abroad, this international bestseller has also been
translated into 43 different languages. His other two books
are Six Suspects, which has been optioned for a film, and
The Accidental Apprentice, which has been broadcast as a
BBC Radio Play.

Q&A with
Vikas Swarup

Is this your first visit to Sharjah?
Yes. Ive been to Dubai and Abu Dhabi several times but this
is the first time I will be visiting Sharjah. Of course I know of
Sharjah as a unique Emirate which is rich in tradition. I look
forward to soaking up its rich history and culture, shopping at its
fabulous souks, and visiting its famous museums and galleries.
One place in Sharjah known to most Indians is the Sharjah
Cricket Stadium which featured many matches of the Indian
cricket team in the 1980s and 1990s!
What are you hoping to gain from the visit?
First and foremost I hope to interact with my readers in
the UAE. I also use my participation in literary festivals to
help promote the book reading habit. In todays world,
unfortunately, the image is drowning out the word and it is
important for children to know that only through reading can
one learn to write.
How do you combine the roles of writer and diplomat?
I call myself a diplomat who writes. For me, work comes first and
writing comes second. Unlike other writers with day jobs who
are able to write in the crevices of the day, I can only write when
I have a clear horizon in front of me, meaning several hours
without any interruptions. So I usually write on weekends and
holidays. I try to strike a balance between my life as a writer and
my role as a diplomat.
Had fiction been a long-held ambition when you
wrote Q&A?
I am an accidental writer. I never thought I would be a novelist
and did not write a word of fiction for almost fifteen years after
my graduation. It was only when I was posted in London that I
was inspired to try my hand at fiction, motivated by some of my
contemporaries in the Foreign Service who had written novels.
And believe it or not, I wrote this novel in the last two months of
my diplomatic posting in London in 2003.
When I wrote Q&A, I had no idea that it would find a world-
wide readership, with translations now in 43 languages, or that
it would be made into an Oscar winning film. I thought it was a
very Indian book and only readers in India would relate to it.
But I guess it has appealed to readers across the world because
the themes and the emotions evoked are universal and the
underlying message is a simple one - of creating your own luck,
of the underdog beating the odds and winning!
The film Slumdog Millionaire was a huge success, but did
not stick entirely to the plot of your novel. Were you happy
to see the filmmakers produce their own version?
On the whole, I am satisfied with the film. It is a riveting piece of
cinema with some amazing cinematography, great music and
a fabulous cast. It does differ from my novel in some significant
ways but it also preserves the soul of my novel and borrows
the entire narrative structure. My book was about survival and
hope and the triumph of the underdog and the same things
can be said about the film. Many of the characters in the film
are also from the book. But I was sorry to see that the multi-
dimensional Ram Mohammad Thomas had morphed into the
one-dimensional Jamal Malik.
Did you ever feel that the fame of the film was eclipsing the
original novel?
I think the novel stands on its own. It had been translated into
36 languages much before the film came out (now it has been
translated into 43). What the success of the film has done is to
take the novel to a different level and bring me a whole new
readership.
Both Q&A and your third novel, The Accidental Apprentice,
are about ordinary people to whom the extraordinary
happens. Is this a theme of particular interest to you?
I think it is a universal theme. Isnt it a secret fantasy for most
people to imagine what would happen to them if they won a
lottery or suddenly got discovered as a model or a film star?
As you know, I prefer to write what I call social thrillers. I am
naturally attracted to this theme because of the scope it offers
for drama and intrigue.
18
Lisa Genova graduated valedictorian, summa cum laude, Phi Beta
Kappa from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology, and has
a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. Acclaimed as the
Oliver Sacks of fiction and the Michael Crichton of brain science, she
is the author of the New York Times bestselling novels Still Alice, Left
Neglected, Love Anthony, and Inside the OBriens.
Lisas writing focuses on people living with neurological diseases
and disorders who tend to be ignored, feared, or misunderstood,
portrayed within a narrative that is accessible to the general public.
Still Alice was adapted into a film starring Julianne Moore, Alec
Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, and Hunter Parrish. Julianne
Moore won the 2015 Best Actress Oscar for her role as Alice Howland.
Lisas 2017 TED talk, What You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimers, was
seen by almost 2 million viewers in its first three months. Her fifth novel,
Every Note Played, is about ALS and will be published in early 2018.

Q&A with
Lisa Genova

Is this your first visit to Sharjah?
Yes.
What are you hoping to gain from the visit?
Im excited about the opportunity to connect with readers
from different cultures. Im also honoured to participate in
this fair, to be part of a grand effort to improve awareness and
appreciation for the written word and different points of view.
Youre a neuroscientist: what made you want to write about
Alzheimers in your novel Still Alice?
My grandmother had Alzheimers disease. While I could
understand her disease as a neuroscientist, I couldnt
understand it as a granddaughter. Everything I read was from
the perspective of an outsiderbooks and papers by clinicians,
scientists, social workers, and caregivers. But what did it feel
like to have this disease from my grandmothers perspective?
She lacked the awareness and communication skills due to the
disease to answer this question.
Why is this question important? I believe empathy is the
key to compassionate awareness and staying connected. I had
great sympathy for all of us. I felt heartbroken and bad for all of
us. But I didnt know how to feel WITH her. This is when I had
the AHA moment. Fiction is the place where we can walk in
someone elses shoes. Story is where we can explore empathy.
It was then that I dreamed of writing a novel about a woman
with Alzheimers and telling it from her point of view. This was
the seed for Still Alice.
Why did you decide to self-publish Still Alice?
I never wanted to self-publish my novel. I tried going the
traditional route for almost a year. In the US, you need a
literary agent to represent you and your book, and that literary
agent then finds a publishing house to publish your book. So
I sent query letters to 100 literary agents. No one wanted to
represent it. I was left with the choice of either sticking Still
Alice in a drawer and going back to neuroscience research and
consulting, or giving my novel a chance in the world. I took a
chance and self-published it. I sold copies out of the trunk of
my car for almost a year before I found a literary agent who
then sold it to Simon & Schuster.
What was your experience of self-publishing?
It was hard work for little pay with no guarantee of success. I
wasnt feeding my family as a self-published author. Publishing
with Simon & Schuster is a much better experience.
How was the experience of seeing your novel adapted for
the screen?
It was surreal and amazing! They did a magnificent job. Im
forever proud of and grateful to everyone involved for creating
such a beautiful and important film.
You have explored other aspects of mental impairment
- including autism and Huntingtons Disease - in further
novels. Is fiction for you a way of promoting awareness, or of
telling a story, or both of these things?
My writing focuses on people living with neurological diseases
and disorders who tend to be ignored, feared, or misunderstood,
portrayed within a narrative that is accessible to the general public.
Most people arent going to read about Alzheimers in the Journal
of Neuroscience. But they might read a novel about a woman
with Alzheimers. Through fiction, Im dedicated to describing
with passion and accuracy the journeys of those affected by
neurological diseases, thereby educating, demystifying, and
inspiring support for care and scientific research.
I think Still Alice has facilitated a global conversation about
Alzheimers, a disease that has long been too frightening and
has carried too much stigma to talk about. That conversation
is lifting the stigma, bringing people back into community,
raising compassionate awareness and funding for research and
resources for care.
 19
Mohammed Hasan Alwan won the 2017 International
Prize for Arabic Fiction for his novel A Small Death. He
has previously been shortlisted for the award, with his
novel Al-Qundus, with which he won the 2015 Arab
World Institutes Prix de la Littrature Arabe. In 2009-
10, Alwan was chosen as one of the 39 best Arab authors
under the age of 40 by the Beirut39 project.
Born in Riyadh, Alwan studied Computer Information
Systems at King Saud University. He obtained an MBA
from the University of Portland, Oregon in 2008, and a
Ph.D from Carleton University, Ottawa in 2016.

Q&A with
Mohammed Asan Alwan

Is this your first visit to the Sharjah International Book Fair?
No, this is my second. My first one was in 2013 after my fourth
novel, The Beaver, was shortlisted for the international prize
for Arabic fiction (Arabic Booker). I was featured in one of the
events and enjoyed meeting a terrific audience.
milestones? fears? love life? family issues? All of these aspects
of his life were mostly absent from history books. I wanted to fill
this gap with fiction. The reaction to the book was in line with
my intention, and many readers echoed that in their comments,
despite their initial opinion about him.

What are you hoping to gain from the visit?
SIBF is one of the most important cultural events in the Arab
world. Being there is always a source of joy for me. I hope to
attend as many literary events as possible and meet the writers
whose works I enjoy reading.
In part, the prize aims to encourage English translations. Is
one in the pipeline?
There are efforts underway to get that done. A translator was
commissioned to translate a sample of the book to include it in
my communication with interested publishers.

This year, you won the $50,000 International Prize for
Arabic Fiction. What has been the impact of winning the
award?
The impact on my personal life was simple and direct: writing
should be my full time job from now on. I am doing that now,
especially after finishing my PhD.
You live for a good part of each year in Toronto. How has
your exile affected your writing about your heritage and
culture?
I am not in exile. I enjoy living between Saudi and Canada.
Traveling and living abroad keeps the mind active and
observant. This is important to me as a writer.

The subject of your winning novel, A Small Death, is Sunni
scholar Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi (1165-1240). What drew you
to him?
There are many sides of Ibn Arabis life that could arouse interest.
In my case, I was mainly obsessed by his travels. It is not that he
was just a constant traveler, but that he couples his travels with
philosophical views that are hard to resist. When I was learning
about the tens of cities he had been to, I asked myself: what did
he see? imagining an answer led to writing my novel.
You have a BA in computing and a PhD in marketingnot
a traditional education for a novelist. Was fiction writing
always part of your plans?
Part of my academic path was chosen because I didnt believe
that writing could be a financially stable job. However, I like
what I have studied. I believe that any kind of knowledge can
be relevant to my writing if I know how to deploy it.

He is a controversial figure in some quarters. How did you

want readers to react to him, and what has been the reaction
to your novel in the Arab world?
I wanted to project his life as a human being, not a holy figure
or a controversial subject. My novel tells his story from a
very personal prospective. What kind of a life did he live? his
20
Neel Mukherjee made his fiction debut with Past Continuous, which
won the Vodafone-Crossword Book Award in 2008; it was shortlisted
for the DSC South Asian book award, and in the UK won the Writers
Guild award for fiction. His second novel, The Lives of Others, was
shortlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize and won the Encore Award.
His most recent novel is A State of Freedom, in which five characters
- among them a domestic cook in Mumbai, a vagrant and his dancing
bear, and a girl who escapes terror in her home village for a new life in
the city - experience displacement and migration.
Mukherjee was educated in Kolkata, studied English at Jadavpur
University, and attended University College, Oxford, on a Rhodes
Scholarship. He completed his Ph.D. at Pembroke College, Cambridge,
Nick Tucker

and graduated with an M.A. in creative writing from the University of

East Anglia in 2001. He reviews fiction for papers including The Times
and Time Asia.

Q&A with
Neel Mukherjee

Is this your first visit to Sharjah? then writing about them is middle-class navel-gazing; a
Yes. lose-lose situation in these days where identity politics has
infected literature too. The overcoming of distance that you
What are you hoping to gain from the visit? so rightly point out as the domain of fiction is a matter for the
I dont know. Im waiting to find out. imagination.

How often do you go back to India? How do you find the
experience of revisiting the country?
Once a year when I let people I know in India know that Im
going, and several times, secretly, on work/research visits.
In your most recent novel, A State of Freedom, one of the
characters finds himself a tourist in his own country. Have
you felt like that? Might it be a good thing for a writer to be
of a country but outside it?
Yes, of course, Ive often felt like a tourist in India. I believe that
a writer should not be at home anywhere, least of all in the
country that s/he calls home. I call London home now and
I dont think Ill write about it until I leave the city and move
elsewhere. Writers should become insiders temporarily only to
listen, watch, eavesdrop, note, then they must exit quickly to
the outside. The outside is the writers true element, as water is
to the fish.
Is fiction nevertheless a way of overcoming this distance, of
engaging with others, as you do with your character Milly,
who from a very young age endures a kind of slavery?
Belonging and engagement/empathy are different things.
Certainly a writer is not allowed to forget the difference by
the chattering sphere: if s/hes not one of the have-nots,
then writing about them is either research-based, or always
already a failure, but if the writer belongs to the class of haves,
The novel is a series of intricately linked stories. Why did you
choose this structure, and was it hard to manage?
I see it as a novel with all the connective tissue taken out, or one
that coheres not by the standard elements of plot or character
but by other means. Or you could see it as an experiment in
sabotaging the realist novel from within, while keeping the
surface effects of realism intact. As for the structure, it owes a
very big debt to V.S. Naipauls 1971 novel, In A Free State. It was
a great pleasure to manage the structure, but maybe thats
hindsight speaking
You have been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and
have won the Encore Award. The writer Amit Chaudhuri
recently wrote sceptically about the Booker and about the
effect of prize culture on literature. What is your opinion
about this?
Whoaaaah, I have just read Amits piece!
He makes some very important points. I hope it sets off a
serious, long-running debate in the literary world but Im not
holding my breath.
Neel Mukherjees participation in the authors program has
been made possible by the British Council and forms part
of the UK/UAE 2017 Year of Creative Collaboration and the
UK Guest of Honor program at the Sharjah International
Book Fair.