Author: Atalayar

“One trend that needs our immediate attention is sustainability, most importantly the impact of the book industry on the environment. It is also an opportunity to raise discussions on the book industry‘s sustainability and propose initiatives that could radically change the way we produce and distribute books, while at the same time giving us the opportunity to lead this change and be part of the process. No single publisher or bookseller or stakeholder from our ecosystem can face this challenge alone, which is why collaboration is more critical now than ever.”  This powerful message was delivered by Sheika Bodour al-Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, and Immediate Past President of International Publishers Association, highlighting environmental pressures, material shortages and hyper-inflation of energy and other costs of business during the opening of the Sharjah International Booksellers Conference, a pioneering event that is building upon the success of its inaugural event last year. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), the two-day conference brings together a host of prominent booksellers, publishers, authors, and industry luminaries from across the globe.  In a quest to uncover new opportunities, untangle complex issues, and chart a path for the future, the two-day event — a first-of-its-kind in the region, hosting more than 400 booksellers and distributors from 69 countries — is committed to enriching the publishing industry. With a goal to spark groundbreaking discussions on the state of the industry, the conference is an unparalleled platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and expertise that will redefine the future of the publishing and bookselling industry. The conference's opening day started with a keynote address from Sheikha Bodour al-Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, and Immediate Past President of International Publishers Association, an inspiring welcome and introduction by HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, followed by a keynote conversation featuring the ex-CEO of Penguin Random House, Markus Dohle and Porter Anderson of Publishing Perspectives.  Bodour al-Qasimi Formulating a sustainable and prosperous bookselling industry Sheikha Bodour al-Qasimi, emphasised the importance of collaboration and innovation in the book industry and the need for the industry to address sustainability and effects of the industry on the environment, also discussing the growing trend of generative artificial intelligence and its potential to bring radical changes to the way books are written, published, and consumed.  The Kalimat Group CEO and Founder, and Immediate Past President of International Publishers Association, stressed the importance of staying ahead of the curve and finding ways to strengthen the industry and its processes, as well as unleashing the creative power within teams and inviting thought-leaders from different sectors to help the industry look at things differently. Emphasising the need to challenge biases in order to continuously learn and evolve, Sheikha Bodour al-Qasimi left the audience with an impactful and motivational message, saying, “I truly believe that we are at a historic moment in our industry, and through consistent collaboration, our ability to innovate and re-imagine our industry will help transform these challenges into opportunities." Bodour al-Qasimi Committed to supporting and promoting the book industry During his opening speech at the conference, HE Ahmed al-Amiri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, highlighted the commitment of the Emirate of Sharjah to supporting and promoting the book industry both regionally and globally thanks to the visionary leadership and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. Al Amiri emphasised the significance of the challenges facing the publishing and creative industries and how these challenges could become opportunities. He encouraged collaboration between publishers and distributors from all over the world and stressed the importance of effective communication between all stakeholders in the industry.  Al-Amiri also expressed his hope for fruitful discussions and successful outcomes at the conference. Expanding on this, the Chairman stated, "We recognize the significance of the role of booksellers and are fully aware of the main challenges hindering the development of your businesses... As such, we have organised this Booksellers Conference not only as a platform for dialogue and discussion but also as an excellent opportunity to present solutions, implement and support them, and transform successful experiences in this sector into practical lessons to learn from." Ahmed al-Amiri The state of global publishing Markus Dohle, the first Chief Executive of Penguin Random House, participated in a keynote conversation with Porter Anderson, editor-in-chief of Publishing Perspectives, titled, “The State of Global Publishing, Bookselling, and the Promise of Emerging Markets”. Dohle presented his views on the state of global publishing, bookselling, and the promise of emerging markets. “The future for publishers and booksellers is bright and full of opportunities, and the data shows it” Dohle exclaimed. During their discussion, the two publishing heavy-weights expanded on the important points Sheikha Bodour al-Qasimi made during her keynote address, and spoke about the impact of the industry on the world around us. As Porter Anderson put it, “We are not only the merchants of culture and words, but we are custodians of the future of knowledge sharing and our industry, and it is in our hands to make this industry a sustainable and responsible one for the future of our readers and our planet.”  Markus Dohle Dohle identified six reasons why the publishing and bookselling industry is on the rise, making this arguably the best time in history for the industry. First, the global revenue for books is showing growth year-on-year. Second, the industry is experiencing stability and profitability in distribution models. Third, there is a healthy co-existence between digital and traditional formats of books. “What may surprise many is that 80% of the market is still in physical copies, even with the additional options we have these days. Print has prevailed, and has proven to be the “life insurance” for publishers and retailers,” Dohle stated. Fourth, the addressable audience is growing every year due to population growth and increasing literacy rates. The fifth reason Dohle presented is that the biggest market for books and publishing is for children and young adults. This is a healthy sign for the future of publishing. Finally, Dohle noted the ever-growing industry of audiobooks. He explained that listening to stories is in our DNA and that the format enables people to multi-task, making it attractive to those with busy lifestyles. International Booksellers Conference In conclusion, according to Dohle, the data shows that the publishing and bookselling industry is thriving, and there are many opportunities for growth and success. Despite negative perceptions, the future looks bright. The conference’s opening day also featured a series of workshops, each led by experts in their respective fields. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about data in the book industry, sustainability and the SDGs, consumer book buying behaviours, effective social media campaigns, bookshop design and marketing, along with many more engaging and informative sessions. The workshops provide an excellent platform for attendees to ask questions, exchange ideas, and learn from the experts. Attendees have the chance to network with other professionals in the industry and build new connections.

The main agents of the business sector, academia and NGOs have marked a historic milestone with the creation of the Alliance for the Sustainability of Air Transport in Spain (AST) to respond to the greatest present and future challenge of aviation, sustainability. This union was created with the aim of promoting the development of sustainable aviation from an environmental, economic and social perspective.  The Alliance has started this Monday after the signing of its constitution by the Governing Board, formed by ALA, Airbus, Aena, AESA, Air Europa, Air Nostrum, AOP, Binter, Boeing, CEOE, ECODES Ecology and Development, ENAIRE, Exolum, IATA, Iberia, SENASA, TEDAE, Transport & Environment, the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and Vueling.   The signing event, which took place at the Airbus facilities in Getafe, was attended by the President of ALA, Javier Gándara; the President of Airbus Commercial Aviation in Spain, Ricardo Rojas; the President and CEO of Aena, Maurici Lucena; the Director General of AESA, Montserrat Mestres; the CEO of Air Europa, Jesús Nuño de la Rosa; the President of Air Nostrum, Carlos Bertomeu; the President of AOP, Luis Travesedo; the President of Binter, Rodolfo Núñez; the Vice President of Global Technology of Boeing Research & Technology, José Enrique Román; the President of the Tourism Council of the CEOE, Juan Cierco; the Associate Director of Just Transition and Global Alliances of ECODES, Mario Rodríguez; the Director General of ENAIRE, Ángel Luis Arias; the CEO of Exolum, Jorge Lanza; the Regional Vice President of IATA, Rafael Schvartzman; the President of Iberia, Javier Sánchez-Prieto; the President of SENASA, Andrés Arranz; the President of TEDAE, Ricardo Martí Fluxá; the Director of Transport & Environment (T&E) in Spain, Isabell Büschel; and the President and CEO of Vueling, Marco Sansavini, among others.  This Alliance aims to promote the decarbonisation of the aviation sector by encouraging the identification and implementation of new technologies and innovative processes in a rational and orderly manner to ensure the long-term sustainability of the aviation sector.   It is a collaborative mechanism made up of entities from different disciplines, beyond the aviation sector, such as business, academia and the third sector. The aim is to provide a cross-cutting response that contributes to progress in this transition towards a more sustainable mode of transport to which the airline industry is committed. In short, an Alliance open to adding more voices to help in this objective and to count on the Administration to achieve the necessary public-private collaboration to respond to this challenge. Rodolfo Núñez, Luis Travesedo, Juan Cierco, Mario Rodríguez, Andrés Arranz, Montserrat Mestres, Jesús Nuño de la Rosa, Maurici  Lucena, Javier Gándara, Ricardo Rojas, Javier Sánchez, Isabell Büschel, Marco Sansavini, Ángel Luis Arias, Rafael Schvartzman, Jorge Lanza, José Enrique Román, Ricardo Martí Fluxá and Carlos Bertomeu Among the objectives of this Alliance are to lead the decarbonisation of the sector, covering all possible solutions and technologies to achieve it and boosting Spain's industrial capacity to offer disruptive technologies, as well as other low-carbon alternatives and circular economy projects. It also encourages public-private collaboration to promote R&D&I and accelerate the development of low-carbon aircraft. Encouraging the large-scale production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in Spain is another of its objectives, as well as promoting the development of initiatives that guarantee the circularity of the waste generated by the sector. In short, to make Spain a country of reference in the development of new technologies in the aviation sector.  The president of ALA, Javier Gándara, stressed that this Alliance responds to the commitment of the aviation sector to its progressive decarbonisation, but points out that this transition must be balanced and rational in order to guarantee the environmental, economic and social sustainability of aviation. "This Alliance will allow us to find the best route for the transition of the airline industry to which we are committed, based on dialogue and collaboration, joining forces to ensure the sustainability of aviation in the future from this triple perspective: environmental, economic and social", said the head of ALA.   "At Airbus we have a clear purpose: to pioneer a sustainable aerospace industry for a safe and united world. This is the ambition that drives everything we do and develop. But it is clear that we cannot go it alone, we need to join forces with the whole industry and the creation of the Alliance is a key milestone in this journey," said Ricardo Rojas, President of Airbus Commercial Aircraft in Spain.  The Alliance for Sustainable Air Transport (AST) is made up of more than 900 companies or entities that generate more than 294,000 direct jobs and a turnover of more than 80.58 billion euros.