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Mon, Nov 18, 2024 | Jumada al-Awwal 16, 1446 | DXB
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SIBF: Italy showcases rich history, cultural heritage
This year's Sharjah book fair hosts 12 Italian publishers and two major writers
Maria Lucia Martorelli, Deputy trade Commissioner of Italy, in Dubai at the Sharjah International Book Fair. Photo by M. Sajjad
Italy is banking big on being the guest honour for next year’s Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF).
Next year it plans to bring in more than 20 publishers showcasing their books, e-book and audiobooks and also host plans bigger cultural programmes to reflect Italy’s rich culture and heritage.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the first day of SIBF, Maria Lucia Martorelli, deputy trade commissioner of Italian Trade Agency (ITA), said Italy has opened strongly at the 40th SIBF this year with 12 publishers. “We are extremely pleased to be part of the 40th SIBF and I would like to highlight the remarkable participation of Italian companies and authors, which reflects our lively and rich cultural environment.
“Italy is keen on sharing its rich publishing sector to the UAE as we both enjoy a strong affinity for published materials in print or digital. At the Italy Pavilion, we are hosting a selection of 12 Italian publishers and we are supporting them through a series of B2B meetings.”
This is second time Italy is participating in SIBF, and it will expand in its pavilion areas, increasing the number of publishers and hosting many cultural programmes. Martorelli said the country’s publishing sector grew by 2.4 per cent to 1.5 billion euro in 2020, largely driven by rise in digital readership (ebooks and audiobooks).
She said that Italy is showcasing select books for children, works on heritage, culture, and general topics. Exhibitors will be hosted at both the Arabic and International sections.
Two of Italy’s great authors Donatella di Pietrantonio and Lisa Ginzburg — both finalists for the Italian literary prize (Premio Strega) — are attending this year’s SIBF. di Pietrantonio wrote the award-winning novel L’Arminuta that has been translated into 27 countries and is now set to be a film on Netflix, while Ginzburg has written many acclaimed novels including Desiderava la bufera (Desiring the Storm, 2002), Per amore (For Love, 2016) and Cara pace (Beloved Peace, 2020).
She said Italy has a robust publishing industry with 78,279 titles published in 2019, including 8,569 titles (+8.7%) publishing rights sold to foreign markets. The country has over 4,900 active publishing companies according to Publishing Italian Association (AIE).
The AIE report on publishing 2020 shows that, before the pandemic, the sector grew by 3 per cent with a turnover of 3 billion euros in 2019, including national and international sales, volumes and rights. Italy ranks fourth in the EU for sale of publishing rights.
Italy is participating at the SIBF through the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy in the UAE, the Consulate-General of Italy in Dubai, and the recently-opened Italian Cultural Institute in Abu Dhabi.
“The publishing sector plays an important role in promoting Italian culture, a sort of window on our history and reality, as well as a field to develop new technologies,” said Martorelli. “In the past few decades, the sector has completely changed due to the emergence of online publishing portals and new technological devices, which offer an innovative approach to reading — even preserving the emotional experience. Therefore, we look with great interest to a sector that combines tradition and innovation, by blending the extraordinary skills of writers with innovative technological solutions.”
“SIBF supports our Expo 2020 theme: Beauty Connects People — in this case, connecting not just physical beauty, but also culture, knowledge, and creativity.”
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
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