International Publishers Association appoints Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi as President

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi has become the first woman in the Arab world to be appointed President of the International Publishers Association (IPA) since the organisation was founded in 1896.

The announcement was made on Monday at the virtual IPA General Assembly Congress.

With her appointment, Sheikha Bodour becomes the second woman to occupy the position after Argentina's Ana Maria Cabanellas who served as Vice President and President of the Association from 2004 to 2008. 

For the last two years, Sheikha Bodour has been serving as the Association's Vice President following her election in 2018.

Her new appointment is one of the most significant and influential positions in the book industry and it marks the culmination of her many years developing the publishing industry and boosting the prospects of publishers in the UAE, across the GCC, and in the wider Arab region. 

It's also a milestone in the global achievements recorded by the UAE, providing international recognition of Sharjah’s strong cultural and intellectual legacy.

Throughout her career, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi’s numerous professional achievements have had a remarkable impact on the UAE’s cultural offerings.

The IPA President-elect founded the Emirates Publishers Association in 2009 which gained full membership of the IPA in 2012.

Her continuous efforts in boosting Sharjah’s onward journey of cultural development by enhancing its publishing landscape played a vital role in the selection of Sharjah as the UNESCO World Book Capital 2019, whose Advisory Committee she headed.

Sheikha Bodour founded the Kalimat Group in 2007, the regional frontrunner in the field of Arabic children’s publishing.

Under the umbrella of the Kalimat Foundation for Children’s Empowerment, she launched several initiatives to fulfil the goal of providing books to refugees and children affected by conflicts and wars worldwide.

She is also the Founder and Patron of the UAE Board on Books for Young People.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi has taken forward her vision of supporting the industry at the international level with the founding of ‘PublisHer’, a platform that seeks to build a global women-led community of publishers, as well as enhance diversity and inclusion in the sector. 

Sheikha Bodour will officially take up the IPA Presidency in January.