Sharjah, 2nd Nov. 2013 (WAM) -- The Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) has launched the 3rd edition of its Professional Programme ? one of the largest programmes dedicated to developing expertise of Emirati and Arab publishers, in collaboration with the New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS) Center for Publishing.
With more than 300 publishers from around the world, the SIBF Professional Porgramme features a diverse schedule of discussion sessions, lectures, workshops, and symposiums, among other activities related to the publishing and book industry. The programme aims at nurturing the skills of Emirati publishers as well as highlighting best international practices in the field. The SIBF Professional Programme offers a unique opportunity to experts in the publishing sector to network and share experiences. One of the primary objectives of this event is to benefit from the expertise of elite group of professionals and specialists. This in turn will assist in expanding avenues of cooperation, increase the prevalence rate and the level of local and Arab cultural representation in major international book events in the future. The Porgramme was attended by Dr.Riccardo Cavallero, Director General of the "Edizioni Mondadori" and Director General Trade Books of "Mondadori Group", also Chairman of "Harlequin Mondadori" and Council Member of "Random House-Mondadori", Dr.Fabio Lazzari, President of "UTET - Grandi Opere" the oldest publishing house in Italy, and Dr. Raffaella Celentano, Director General of "O.L.A.F." - "Works Literary and Visual Arts" of S.I.A.E. (Italian Society of Authors and Publishers), and Dr. Carlo Acampora head of a Conglomerate that deals in various sectors (high-tech, medical research hospitality, tourism, food, business development, etc.), he is also Chairman and CEO of the "Italian Society of Private Development", who personally translated into Italian the Book "My early life" of H H Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, published in Italy by "Mondadori". Speaking on the occasion, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Director of Sharjah International Book Fair, said: "Publishers, professionals and people interested in the publishing sector, as well as authors, media persons and specialists, were enthusiastically awaiting the 3rd edition of the Professional Programme, which is conducted under the fruitful collaboration between the SIBF and the NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS) Center for Publishing. Our collaboration with NYU-SCPS stems from our desire to build solid relations with book and publishing experts from around the world. This partnership also not only ensures learning and benefitting from their expertise, but also enables experiencing a wider exposure to the international breadth of our industry." Salim Omar Salim, Head of Sales and Marketing at SIBF, said, "The SIBF Management is keen to ensure that the Professional Programme can provide all the necessary means to support the expertise of professionals in the book and publishing industry in the UAE as well as the region through lectures and seminars, in addition to various training workshops conducted for publishers prior to the Fair."The NYU-SCPS executive education programme will consist of two highly-targeted sessions. The morning session ? conducted by Devereux Chatillon, who teaches Publishing and Internet Law in the NYU-SCPS M.S. in Publishing: Digital and Print Media programme ? will focus on matters pertaining to international publishing law, contract terms, best practices for negotiating rights and permissions in the global marketplace, and control of piracy. The afternoon session, taught by Matthew Baldacci, vice president of marketing and sales operations at St. Martin?s Press and teacher of Introduction to Marketing and Branding in the programme, will examine effective strategies for marketing both print and e-books. The session will also include new technology and channels, recommended marketing and analytics tools, how to structure an effective marketing department, and helping authors to build and expand their online presence. Chatillon and Baldacci will be accompanied by Andrea Chambers, director of the Center for Publishing, as well as four students enrolled in M.S. in Publishing: Digital and Print Media. Chambers commented: "We are very grateful to our partners at the Sharjah International Book Fair for this wonderful opportunity. Our participation in the SIBF represents not only a continuation of our efforts to share the knowledge and expertise of our esteemed faculty members with publishers in other regions of the world, but it also provides our students with the opportunity to experience a meaningful intercultural exchange and wider exposure to the international breadth of our industry."The Sharjah International Book Fair offers publishers grants for translation to and from various languages, within the translation program and grant fund translator, and the total value of the grant per to $ 1,500 for children's books, and U.S. $ 4,000 for general books. Books submitted for grants, should be protected under the law of protection of intellectual property, with the exception of business subject to public ownership. The aim of SIBF management through these lucrative grants to develop translation movement, and promoting culture worldwide. The number of publishers participating in the SIBF Professional Programme 2013 is up by 50 publishers compared with the number of publishers who participated in the SIBF Professional Programme 2012. Last year's edition of the programme saw the participation of 180 international and 70 Arab publishing professionals - a fact that reflects the reputation and impressive results achieved by the programme in the previous two editions.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2013.
