Sustainability and Post COVID-19 take centre stage at IPA General Assembly
The International Publishers Association General Assembly on Monday 23 November was marked by the results of the association’s elections but also featured the publication of a COVID-19 stocktaking report and guest speeches from United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres and Booker-shortlisted author, Tsitsi Dangarembga.
International and European Publishers Condemn Violent Crackdown in Belarus
The International Publishers Association (IPA) and the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) call on Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to cease his brutal campaign of violence and intimidation against peaceful protests. The IPA and FEP call on the international publishers of Nobel Literature Prize laureate, Svetlana Alexievich, to demonstrate their support for the author as she faces interrogation at the hands of the Lukashenko regime.
IPA Welcomes End of Kuwaiti Book Censorship Committee
A report in ArabLit confirms that Kuwait’s National Assembly has amended the law on media and publications that previously required all books to receive prior approval from a committee before release. The new rules apply to both local and imported books and put an end to the mandate of the Kuwaiti book censorship committee.
Viet Nam, Move Beyond Repression
The International Publishers Association has co-signed a statement calling on Vietnamese authorities to cease their crackdown on independent media and those who express dissent and to protect and promote the rights to freedom of expression, opinion, and information, in line with Viet Nam’s obligations under international law.
9th Turkish Publishing Assembly takes place online
The Turkish Publishers Association organizes a biennial assembly of the Turkish publishing industry. On 25-26 June 2020, the 9th version of the assembly was held online because of the Covid-19 pandemic bringing together a total of 58 speakers (46 local and 12 international) to the six-session event.
Vietnam’s Liberal Publishing House awarded 2020 Prix Voltaire
The International Publishers Association took to a virtual stage on June 3 to unveil the laureate of the 2020 Prix Voltaire which supports defenders of freedom to publish: Liberal Publishing House (Vietnam).
Khaled Lotfy appeal rejected, Tanmia excluded from Cairo Book Fair
On 24 December 2019, Khaled Lotfy’s final possible appeal against his five-year sentence was rejected. His publishing house was then excluded from the biggest book fair in Egypt.
Prix Voltaire 2020 Nominations Open
IPA has opened the nominations process for the 2020 Prix Voltaire which will be announced at the 33rd International Publishers Congress in Lillehammer. The announcement came among a packed freedom to publish programme for the IPA at Frankfurt Book Fair.
Educational Publishers Forum in Hungary
The IPA’s Educational Publishers Forum held a meeting in Szeged, Hungary, on 28 June, and took the opportunity to tackle concerns about Freedom to Publish in education.
Publishing ‘the most humane profession’ says Lotfy at Prix Voltaire Ceremony
The emotional ceremony for the IPA 2019 Prix Voltaire was held in Seoul, Korea on 21 June where Khaled Lotfy’s brother, Mahmoud, received the prize on his behalf and delivered a powerful speech asking for Egyptian President el-Sisi to grant the publisher a pardon.