With the ongoing pandemic, the knock-on economic effect is meaning many industries across the board are struggling, including hospitality, travel, aviation and more.

This also includes the publishing industry, including here in the UAE. Many publishers and Emirati bookmakers have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing the sector slow down immensely due to the virus and its economic effects.

In order to help, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, the Founder and President of the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) announced the launch of a new fund to support publishers who have lost business due to the pandemic.

Worth Dhs1 million, the Emirates Publishers Emergency fund will work with local publishers and Emirati bookmakers in order to identify the challenges the industry is currently dealing, with the aim of helping to boost business.

Discussing the launch of the new initiative, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi explained the vital sector of publishing “has slowed down considerably due to the pandemic”.

“With every crisis, comes an opportunity, and we need to rope in appropriate mechanisms to boost industry resilience and emerge out of it stronger,” she continued. “Today, we stand with our publishers to support and lead them onward to fulfilling vital projects that will boost our knowledge and creativity.”

Despite the challenges the world is facing, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi pointed out how a crisis can help “cooperation and teamwork gain more value than ever”, which is what the new fun aims to do in order to help publishers take a step in the direction towards a “more collaborative approach in promoting the written word”.

“Safeguarding publishers and promoting the local knowledge industry is the need of the hour as the pandemic has proven beyond doubt the efficacy of the book as the most sustainable tool for spreading awareness, promoting values of peace and coexistence, and encouraging cultural dialogue,” she added.

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Images: Supplied