Over 30 publishing bodies sign charter for industry's sustainable post-Covid future

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, president of International Publishers Association (IPA), has formed the International Sustainable Publishing and Industry Resilience (InSPIRe) plan taskforce in early 2021 to identify key pandemic-induced challenges facing publishers and promote cooperation.

The move follows the landmark report From Response to Recovery: The Impact of Covid-19 –on the Global Publishing Industry.

“Publishing is facing an uncertain recovery if our industry doesn’t come together. While developed publishing markets have fared better, our colleagues in emerging publishing markets are facing existential challenges,” said Al Qasimi.

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“The global pandemic doesn’t just affect publishers — the livelihoods of millions of publishers, authors, illustrators, printers, distributors, and booksellers around the world are at risk,” she added.

The InSPIRe Charter is one of the first achievements of the taskforce. Over 30 charter signatories have committed to industry-wide cooperation on a plan for the post-pandemic future of publishing. Signatories have agreed to 10 areas of cooperation targeting the sector’s interactions with policymakers, while building inter-sector dialogue and closing skill gaps.

To date, the following entities have joined the 86 members of the IPA in endorsing the Inspire Charter:

> African Publishers Network

> Arab Publishers Association

> Asean Book Publishers Association

> Association for the Development of Education in Africa

> Association of American Literary Agents

> Bologna Children’s Book Fair

> Book Aid International

> Buenos Aires Book Fair

> Delhi Book Fair

> European and International Booksellers Federation

> European Educational Publishers Group

> Etats Généraux du Livre en Langue Française

> Frankfurt Book Fair

> Ghana International Book Fair

> Goteborg Book Fair

> Grupo Ibero-Americano de Editores

> Independent Book Publishers Association

> International Association of STM Publishers

> International Board on Books for Young People

> International Istanbul Book Fair

> LIBER

> London Book Fair

> Nairobi International Book Fair

> Nigeria International Book Fair

> Pan African Writers Association

> PEN International

> Rio Int’l Book Fair

> Più Libri Più Liberi (Rome Book Fair)

> Sao Paulo Int’l Book Fair

> Seoul International Book Fair

> Sharjah International Book Fair

> Tbilisi International Book Festival

> Turin Book Fair

> UNICEF

> US Book Show