Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, daughter of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has become the first Arab woman to be appointed president of the International Publishers Association (IPA).
Expected to assume the role in early January next year, Sheikha Bodour has been serving in the position of vice-president of the IPA since 2018 and will be the second woman to have been appointed the position, following the presidency of Argentinian Ana Maria Cabanellas, who was the vice-president and president from 2004-2008.
A BIG thank you to all those who supported me throughout my incredible journey in @IntPublishers. Your trust and confidence inspire me to strive more for the development of the publishing industry and success of all IPA members. Grateful beyond words pic.twitter.com/yAG4Sk8pAO
— Bodour Al Qasimi (@Bodour) November 24, 2020
The announcement that Sheikha Bodour would be the president of the IPA was made at the virtual IPA General Assembly Congress (GAC) earlier this week. Founded in 1896, the IPA is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to protecting the publishing industry all over the world as well as raising awareness about it from an economic, cultural, and political development perspective. The IPA consists of 83 organizations from 69 different countries and represents thousands of publishers from all over the world.
“As we stand by people who lost their homes and businesses, we should not forget how vital the cultural role played by Beirut’s libraries, art galleries and institutions, has been —not only for Lebanon but the entire Arab region and the world," she said.https://t.co/W3vrCD4grT
— About Her (@AboutHerOFCL) September 18, 2020
Skeikha Bodour’s appointment as president of the IPA should not come as any surprise as she has been instrumental in developing the publishing industry within the UAE, and across the rest of the Arab region. She has been hands on in her current role and involved in a number of international and regional initiatives that promote children’s learning, development, and empowerment.
Moreover, it was Sheikha Bodour that founded the UAE’s first ever publishing house for children’s books, Kalimat Publishing Group, in 2007 and has since been lauded as an industry leader for publishing books that shine a spotlight on Arabic culture and the challenges of the modern world that Arab children face.
