Sharjah Publishing City opens

CAIRO – 6 November 2017: Sharjah Publishing City free trade zone and Sharjah Publishing House were opened on Monday by Sharjah ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed. The Publishing City is considered the first publishing free trade zone in the world, comprising 16 million books.

Establishing mega cultural projects aims to create an encouraging atmosphere for different publishers as well as other workers in the publishing field. The Publishing City is expected to be the new home for international publishing houses, institutions, and organizations; it will also facilitate issuing licenses, printing, and marketing.

Providing editing offices, book design companies and translation agencies, the Publishing City ensures the enhancement of the publishing industry.

The opening was attended by more than 200 international publishers, in addition to the presence of many Emirati officials such as Sharjah Book Authority chairman Ahmed al-Ameri.

Known as a vital cultural center, Sharjah has been chosen by the UNESCO to be the World Book Capital for 2019.

This goes in parallel with the ongoing Sharjah International Book Fair that is hosting a lot of prominent public figures including Algerian novelist Wasiny al-A’arag, Saudi novelist Abdo Khal, Iraqi novelist Sanan Antoine, and Syrian actor Ghasan Masoud.

The UK is the guest of honor in this edition, as celebrations of the UAE-British ties are held at the same time through ceremonies conducted by the Supreme Council for British Culture.