Activities

On 21 September, it is the first day of Spring in the Southern hemisphere… and the Bibliodiversity Day!

Don’t miss this 9^th B Day – an initiative launched by Latin American independent publishers, and then disseminated all around the world. Picnics, readings, bookcrossing, discussions… the activities are gathered on the B Day blog and in the social networks.

15 publishers from 10 countries meet in Cotonou for a workshop dedicated to creating ePub files from Indesign. The workshop will also be an opportunity for discussions on the commercialization of digital books between the publishers: Cassava Republic publishers (Nigeria) will share their experience - a cross between French and English speaking Africas!

This workshop, supported by the International Organization of La Francophonie, was organised with the support of Ruisseaux d’Afrique publishers in Benin, a member of the Alliance. Ruisseaux d’Afrique publishers celebrate their 20^th anniversary in 2018, offering activities throughout the year. The Alliance will celebrate the 20^th anniversary of Ruisseaux during the workshop!

Since 2010, the Alliance Lab offers capacity-building workshops to independent publishers in French-speaking Africa. Several publishing houses in French-speaking Africa have developed a digital strategy.

The Alliance Lab regularly publishes surveys and analysis on digital publishing:

• Digital publishing in the mobile era in Africa, 2017, Octavio Kulesz
• Feasibility study on the establishment of digital printing structures for independent publishers in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, 2017, Gilles Colley
• All Lab studies can be accessed here.

The Alliance Lab provides tools:

• Website Pattern “Ready to use" for the creation of publishers’ websites
• All tools from the Alliance Lab can be consulted here.

The touring “Tehran Book Fair, Uncensored”, organized in May in the same time as Tehran Book Fair in Iran, will occur for the third year, thanks to Farsi-speaking publishing houses based in Europe and North America.

Publishers, authors, and translators from and into Farsi are thus gathering in several cities in Europe and North America to circulate Farsi books (especially some censored in Iran) and books about Iran (in French, English, German…).

A special occasion to know a literature that has escaped from the censors. A free literature. Some muzzled voices that express themselves.

From May 4 to 27, 2018, the Tehran Book Fair Uncensored will occur in:

• London (UK), May 4-6, at the Library for Iranian Studies
• Markham (Ontario, Canada), May 5, at Bamdad Book Store
• Cologne (Germany), May 8-9, at Forough Book Store
• Hamburg (Germany), May 10, at Rothenbaumchaussee 34
• Paris (France), 11-12 May, at the Charles Léopold Mayer Fondation (Paris 11)
• Paris (France), May 13, at the Palais de la Femme (Paris 12)
• Bremen (Germany)
• Berlin (Germany)
• Copenhagen (Denmark)

Other places and dates planned in the end of May will be updated on the website Uncensored book. More details: +33 (0)1 72 40 84 40 / www.uncensoredbook.com.

Read here the article published by Publishing Perspectives, on May 16, 2018.

Some resources to know more on the subject:

• Publishing in Persian language, a study realised by the Alliance in 2015
• “To be an Iranian publisher in France”, testimony by Tinouche Nazmjou (Naakojaa/éditions du non-où publishing house), February 2016 (in French)

On Saturday 24 March, independent publishers and booksellers propose readers to celebrate Indie Book Day. The principle is simple: you just need to go in your favourite independent bookshop, to buy a book published by an independent publisher. Then, you are invited to share a picture of the book on the social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…), with the hashtag #indiebookday.

Indie Book Day aims to highlight the creativity, diversity and dynamism of independent publishing and make readers aware of the essential aim played by independent bookshops in favour of bibliodiversity.

Created in 2013 in Germany by the Hamburg-based publishing house Mairisch Verlag –member of the German association of independent publishers Kurt Wolff Stiftung, the Indie Book Day has first met a great success in Germany, and then has been celebrated also in other countries – like the UK, Italy, Portugal, and Brazil. For this special occasion, independent bookshops promote the event (posters in their bookshops, specific campaign on the social networks). To help readers to make their choice, specific spaces can be proposed in the bookshop to focus on the diversity of independent publishing.

In 2018, the Kurt Wolff Stiftung (Germany), the ODEI (Italy) and the International Alliance of independent publishers (550 publishers from more than 52 countries around the world) keep fostering the Indie Book Day.

Indie Book Day website: www.indiebookday.de/english

After Ouagadougou, Tunis, Dakar, Abidjan ... it is in Conakry – UNESCO World Book Capital in 2017 – that will be held the next digital workshop of the Alliance, bringing together more than 15 publishers from West Africa, Central Africa and Madagascar. This workshop, facilitated by publishers and typographers, will explore digital tools to solve the typographical problems encountered in the production of books in local languages.

This workshop is supported by the International Organization of the Francophonie and is held thanks to the partnership with Ganndal publishers, a member of the Alliance in Guinea Conakry.

Ganndal publishing, who are celebrating their 25^th year in 2017, are also organizing several activities during this period, to be held at the Centre culturel franco-guinéen. Publishers participating in the workshop will participate to some of these events, and will speak at the symposium on children’s literature in Africa:
• Colloquium on children’s literature in Africa: 22 to 23 November
• Children Book Fair: from 23 to 26 November
• Colloquium on the challenges related to the promotion and distributing of books in African languages: 27 and 28 November
Overview of the activities and programme here.

WHY A HOTLIST?

In 2009, together with the members of EDINAR (Argentinean Alliance of independent publishers), we decided to launch a promotion strategy, following the “Young independent Germans”: a HotList.

Against the tendentious ranking of the most sold out books published in the newspapers, every member of the collective had to choose one book among her/his new books -the one that she or he saw as the most outstanding, for whatever reason. With all EDINAR publishers, we thus formed a list, promoted at the same time by a group of booksellers from Buenos Aires who arranged a special table dedicated to this list in their bookshops during one month.

In 2010, Argentina was Guest country of Frankfurt Book Fair and the Argentinean National Book Chamber had a spacious booth with a strong presence of local publishing, which did not include many independent publishers. However, the Hotlist had an outstanding exhibition space in this Fair: thanks to a German colleague, curious publisher, philoanarchist, employed by the Fair, we got a well-situated booth and the possibility to exhibit our HotList.

Because a lot of Latin-American publishers cannot travel every year to Frankfurt, we have reminded this adventure and decided to implement it again this year, extended to Spanish-speaking publishers from Latin America, in order to give a better visibility to the vibrant Latin-American independent publishing, in the biggest commercial Book Fair of the World.

This HotList presents a selection of about 40 books published in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile… exhibited in the “Reading Island for Independent Publishers” (Pavilion 4.1) of the Frankfurt Book Fair, thanks to the cooperation of the Kurt Wolff Stiftung, group of German independent publishers.

We hope you will appreciate!

Guido Indij
Argentinean publisher, coordinator of the Spanish-speaking network of the International Alliance of independent publishers

The 9 coordinators and vice-coordinators of the Alliance’s 6 language networks, the Board and the Alliance team gather for the ICIP, an essential annual meeting in the governance of the association. On the agenda: public book policies in West Africa, Latin America and in the Arab world; the Europe and the Alliance; strategy and governance; the Alliance of tomorrow...

Readings, book releases and piñatas in the public space, meetings, picnic, posters, and postcards: all ideas are welcome to participate to this day.
In Perou; en Colombia; en Argentina...

* 36 stories unveiling the names of independent publishing houses from all around the world
* 36 catchphrases by publishers on bibliodiversity
* Because behind the books… there are (also) publishing houses, publishers…
* Because on 21 September, they celebrate the International Day of Bibliodiversity!

See the activities of the B Day on the blog el dia B, on Facebook and Twitter.

Here the video of the B Day, made by the Latin American publishers!

Workshops on solidary publishings partnerships and on freedom of publishing (an initiative of the Alliance), “HotList” (space dedicated to independent publishing in Latin America, an initiative of the Spanish-language network of the Alliance), meetings on publishing in the Francophone space (organised by BIEF), Party Time for Indies (an initiative of ODEI and IPG, in collaboration with the Fair)… Bibliodiversity will be there, with independent publishers from all over the world!

See below the publishers in Frankfurt and the activities of the Alliance... as well 3 focus proposed at this occasion!

Workshops, exchanges and knowledge sharing

• In situ training on e-publishing of illustrated and interactive books, in Lomé (Togo), 10-14 July 2017: two Togolese publishing houses member of the Alliance benefited from personalised support in the context of a training facilitated by Gilles Colleu (Vents d’ailleurs publishing house, France). A programme of the Alliance’s Digital Lab, supported by the International Organisation of the Francophonie.
• Meetings of the European collectives in Paris (France), 19 and 20 July 2017: 4 European collectives (Kurt Wolff Stiftung in Germany, Contrabandos in Spain, ODEI in Italy, IPG in the United Kingdom) and the Alliance met to strengthen their relationships, and find ways of collaborating, exchange tools and experiences…
• Conakry, UNESCO’s world book capital (Guinea Conakry), 23-29 November 2017: Ganndal publishing facilitate, during Conakry’s Children’s Book Fair, a colloquium on African children’s books, and a focus on African languages publishing… The Alliance will participate to this event by organising a workshop on digital publishing in African languages.

Book Fairs

• Frankfurt Book Fair (Germany), 11-15 October 2017: workshop on fair publishing partnerships and workshop on freedom of publishing (an initiative of the Alliance), “hot list” (space dedicated to independent publishing, an initiative of the Spanish-language network of the Alliance), meetings on publishing in the Francophone space in the context of the invitation to “Frankfurt in French”, Party Time for Indies (an initiative of ODEI and IPG, in collaboration with the Fair)… Bibliodiversity will be there, with independent publishers from all over the world!
• Salon de L’Autre Livre in Paris (France), 17-19 November 2017: several publishers member of the Alliance will participate to this edition, an opportunity to share and have a roundtable on independent publishing on the international level (Tunisia, Iran…).

Celebrations

• International Bibliodiversity Day, 21 September 2017, throughout the world! Readings, book crossing and piñatas in the public space, meetings, picnic, posters, and postcards: all ideas are welcome to participate to this day. Of course, do not forget to support independent bookshops and other relevant networks to reach as many readers as possible! See activities of the previous year here: blog el dia B and the Alliance’s website.

Bibliodiversity Observatory

• Resource centre: data collection and analysis on public book policies in Latin America and Spain, in the Arab world and in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar; Bibliodiversity’ Journal, Digital Lab, study on the creation of a digital printing press in Francophone Africa…
• Advocacy: awareness activities on book donation, African languages publishing, study on freedom of publishing

Governance

• Meeting of the International Committee of independent publisher (ICIP) in Paris (France), from 7 to 9 October: the agenda is being drafted by ICIP… more information soon.

Decades of Israeli occupation and settler colonialism on Palestinian land reached new heights with the recent IDF attacks on Gaza. As per this writing, more than 2,200 Palestinians have died (including 724 children) and more than 1 million Gazans have been ordered to evacuate the north.

In the midst of this grave humanitarian crisis, it is very important to give voice to the opressed through all mediums of expressions, including books and literature. Ironically, the Frankfurt Book Fair —as the biggest annual book fair in the world— has done the opposite. The awarding ceremony for Palestinian author Adania Shibli, whose novel “Minor Details” was to receive 2023 Literaturpreis, was cancelled unilaterally by the Fair, in their decision to “make Jewish and Israeli voices especially visible at the book fair” and to «stand with complete solidarity on the side of Israel».

This one-sideness is unacceptable, as the Frankfurt Book Fair should be a free and impartial forum to open dialogues and debates without violence. We, publishers from International Alliance of Independent Publishers, condemn the Frankfurt Book Fair’s decision to cancel the award ceremony for Adania Shibli, and demand that Palestinian voices be given the same visibility and respect as other voices at the Fair.

Signatories
This list is not exhaustive (and is updated as and when necessary)

Nouri Abid, Med Ali (Tunisia)
Sandra Abrano, Bandeirola (Brazil)
Tomaz Adour, Vermelho Marinho (Brazil)
Marwan Adwan, Mamdouh Adwan Publishing (Syria-UAE)
Ronny Agustinus, Marjin Kiri (Indonesia)
Cauê Ameni, Autonomia Literária and Jacobin Brazil (Brazil)
Ibrahima Aya, Éditions Tombouctou (Mali)
Clô Barcellos, Libretos (Brazil)
Flávia Bonfim, Movimento Contínuo (Brazil)
Jorge Breogan, Sundermann (Brazil)
Sebastian Budgen, Verso Books (United Kingdom)
Barbara Caretta-Debays, Écosociété (Quebec / Canada)
João Carneiro, Tomo (Brazil)
Chiara Cazzato, Tempesta editore (Italia)
Haroldo Ceravolo, Alameda (Brazil)
Indira Chandrasekhar, Tulika Books (India)
Layla Chaouni, Le Fennec (Morocco)
Reza Chavoshi, Dena books (Netherlands)
Sergio Covelli, EPUBBoo (Italia)
Amanda Crocker, Between the lines (Canada)
Élisabeth Daldoul, elyzad (Tunisia)
Róisín Davis, Haymarket Books (United States)
Héctor Dinsmann, Libros de la Araucaria (Argentina)
Serge Dontchueng Kouam, Presses universitaires d’Afrique (Cameroon)
Éric Dusabimana, Bakame (Rwanda)
Mohamed El-Baaly, Sefsafa Publishing (Egypt)
Fatma El Boudy, Elain Publishing (Egypt)
Yara El-Ghadban, Mémoire d’encrier (Quebec / Canada)
Luiz Fernando Emediato, Geração (Brazil)
Whaner Endo, W4 Editora (Brazil)
Letícia Esteban, Gato Sueco (Spain)
Zygmunt Antoni Filipecki Jr., Mauad (Brazil)
Corinne Fleury, Atelier des nomades (Mauritius / France)
Pedro Fonseca, Âyiné (Brazil)
Fernando Diego Garcia, Libros del Zorro Rojo (Spain)
Germán Gacio Baquiola, Editores independientes de Ecuador (Ecuador)
Pauline Gagnon, Écosociété (Quebec / Canada)
Müge Gursoy Sökmen, Metis Publishers (Turkey)
Daniela Gutfreund, Lugar de ler (Brazil)
Samar Haddad, Atlas Publishing (Syria)
Susan Hawthorne, Spinifex Press (Australia)
Selma Hellal / Sofiane Hadjajd, Editions Barzakh (Algeria)
Colleen Higgs, Modjaji Books (South Africa)
Ivana Jinkings, Boitempo (Brazil)
Hassan Khalil, Al Farabi (Lebanon)
Renate Klein, Spinifex Press (Australia)
Elisa Labanca, Buckfast Edizioni (Italia)
Alessandro Labonia, CSA (Italia)
Daniel Louzada, Da Vinci (Brazil)
Adriana Maciel, Numa (Brazil)
Stella Magliani-Belkacem, La Fabrique (France)
Lizandra Magon, Jandaíra (Brazil)
Alexandre Martins Fontes, WMF Martins Fontes (Brazil)
Maria Beatriz Medina, Banco del livro (Venezuela)
Daniela Mena, GAM (Italia)
Ione Meloni Nassar, Mercuryo Jovem (Brazil)
Raquel Menezes, Oficina Raquel (Brazil)
Ritu Menon, Women Unlimited (India)
Lilah Mercader, Éditions Dent-de-lion (Canada)
Anita Molino, Il leone verde (Italia)
Rosana MontÁlverne, Aletria (Brazil)
Nabil Mroueh, Al Intishar Al Arabi (Lebanon)
Francisca Muñoz Méndez, Editoriales de Chile (Chile)
David Murray, Écosociété (Quebec / Canada)
Renata Nakano, Quindim (Brazil)
Maira Nassif, Relicário (Brazil)
Denise Natale, Papagaio (Brazil)
Carla Oliveira, Orfeu Negro (Portugal)
Maria Osório, Babel (Colombia)
Safaa Ouali, Le Fennec (Morocco)
Marco Paganini, AltreVoci (Italia)
Mary Lou Paris, Terceiro Nome (Brazil)
Simone Paulino, Nós and Nossa (Brazil, France)
Dieulermesson PetitFrère, LEGS Édition (Haiti)
Mirline Pierre, LEGS Édition (Haiti)
Dolores Prades, Instituto Emília (Brazil)
Naiara Raggiotti, Carochinha (Brazil)
Marie Michèle Razafinstlama, Jeunes malgaches (Madagascar)
Anahita Redisiu, Forough Verlag (Germany)
Rodney Saint-Éloi, Mémoire d’encrier (Quebec / Canada)
Kenza Sefrioui, En toutes lettres (Morocco)
Alfonso Serrano, La Oveja Roja (Spain)
Abdulai Sila, Ku Si Mon Editora (Guinea Bissau)
Paulo Slachevsky, LOM ediciones (Chile)
Aliou Sow, Éditions Ganndal (Guinea)
Simón Vásquez, Verso Libros (Spain)
Catia Ventura, Ventura Edizioni (Italia)
Marisol Vera, Editorial Cuarto Propio (Chile)
Miguel Villafuerte, Editorial Blanca (Ecuador)
Cristina Warth, Pallas Editora (Brazil)
Mariana Warth, Pallas Editora (Brazil)
Riccardo Zanello, Tempesta editore (Italia)
Habib Zoghbi, La Maison du livre (Tunisia)
Rosa Maria Zuccherato, Nova Alexandria (Brazil)

In the aftermath of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the invasion of its territory, the International Alliance of Independent Publishers expresses its support and solidarity with the Ukrainian people and cultural professionals and reiterates its commitment to the right of self-determination of each population.

We, independent publishers from over 55 countries around the world, members of an international solidarity network, condemn in the strongest terms the violence committed against the Ukrainian people and call together for a return to peace. We also reaffirm our support for all people on all continents, facing wars and conflicts, fighting for their freedom and emancipation.

We strongly oppose stigmatizing and dehumanizing discourses, and we recall here the essential role of culture, in particular of books, as a tool for dialogue, analysis, understanding and discovery of plurality and diversity.

The Arabic Language Network of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers expresses its strong condemnation of the forced deportation campaign of Palestinians from the «Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood» in East Jerusalem, and the systematic violence and persecution led by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu against Jerusalemites in particular and the Palestinians in general in restoring the «apartheid» policies that the world seeks to overcome.

Read here the entire open letter from the Arabic Language Network of the Alliance.

The International Alliance of independent publishers – representing 750 publishers in 55 countries around the world – calls for the release of Anges Félix N’Dakpri, president of the Association of publishers of Côte d’Ivoire (Assedi)

President of the Association of publishers of Côte d’Ivoire (Assedi) and General commissioner of the Abidjan International Book Fair (SILA), Anges Félix N’Dakpri was kidnapped on October 25 in Abidjan (see press release from several professional associations issued on October 27, 2020).

For some weeks, Côte d’Ivoire has been prey to strong political tensions in the context of the presidential elections.
Several local sources and international medias report arrests and pressure on opposition figures as well as journalists covering the events.

The kidnapping of Anges Félix N’Dakpri by armed men from his home in Abidjan on Sunday, October 25 occurs against a backdrop of violence, threats and restrictions on freedom of expression. According to his relatives, he would be now held at the MACA (Abidjan House of Arrest and Correction).

The International Alliance of independent publishers calls for an end to the arbitrary detention of Anges Félix N’Dakpri and invites professionals from the book industry, medias and human rights associations to relay this call.

Signatories

Members of the International Commitee of Independent Publishers

• Élisabeth DALDOUL, elyzad, Tunisia, coordinator of the French-speaking network
• ASSEM Mawuto Paulin, AGO Média, Togo, vice-coordinator of the French-speaking network
• Jean-Claude NABA, Sankofa & Gurli, Burkina Faso, vice-coordinator of the French-speaking network
• Samar HADDAD, Atlas for Publishing & Distribution, Syria, coordinator of the Arabic-speaking network
• Colleen HIGGS, Modjaji Books, South Africa, coordinator of the English-speaking network
• Ronny AGUSTINUS, Marjin Kiri Publisher, Indonesia, vice-coordinator of the English-speaking network
• Paulo SLACHEVSKY, Lom Ediciones, Chile, coordinator of the Spanish-speaking network
• Carla OLIVEIRA, Orfeu Negro, Portugal, coordinator of the Portuguese-speaking network
• Mariana WARTH, Pallas Editora, Brazil, coordinator of the Portuguese-speaking network

Publishers members of the French-speaking network of the Alliance

• Sulaiman ADEBOWALE, Amalion, Senegal
• Marie-Agathe AMOIKON FAUQUEMBERGUE, Éburnie, Côte d’Ivoire
• Ibrahima AYA, éditions Tombouctou, Mali
• Dominique BAZIN, éditions Dodo vole, Madagascar
• Bichr BENNANI, Tarik éditions, Morocco
• Karim BEN SMAIL, Fédération tunisienne des éditeurs, Tunisia
• Pierre BERTRAND, Couleur Livres, Belgium
• Nadine BESNARD, Cauris Livres, Mali
• Layla CHAOUNI, éditions Le Fennec, Morocco
• Karim CHIKH, éditions Apic, Algeria
• Gilles COLLEU, Vents d’ailleurs, France
• Élodie COMTOIS, Écosociété, Québec, Canada
• Camille DELTOMBE, Les éditions de l’Atelier, France
• Serge D. KOUAM, Presses universitaires d’Afrique, Cameroon
• Mical DREHI LOROUGNON, Édilis, Côte d’Ivoire
• Aline DURIEZ-JABLONKA, éditions Charles Léopold Mayer, France
• Tchotcho Christiane ÉKUÉ, Graines de Pensées, Togo
• Nadia ESSALMI, Yomad, Morocco
• Corinne FLEURY, L’Atelier des Nomades, Mauritius et France
• Sékou FOFANA, éditions Donniya, Mali
• Charlotte GOURE, Les éditions de l’Atelier, France
• Sofiane HADJADJ, barzakh éditions, Algeria
• Selma HELLAL, barzakh éditions, Algeria
• Jutta HEPKE, Vents d’ailleurs, France
• Marie Paule HUET, éditions Ganndal, Guinea
• Yasmîn ISSAKA-COUBAGEAT, Graines de Pensées, Togo
• Karine JOSEPH, Éditions du Sirocco, Morocco
• Hamidou KONATÉ, Éditions Jamana, Mali
• Thérèse KOUDOU, Édilis, Côte d’Ivoire
• Julien LUCCHINI, Les éditions de l’Atelier, France
• Seydou Nourou NDIAYE, éditions Papyrus Afrique, Senegal
• François NKEME, Éditions Proximité, Cameroon
• Sylvie NTSAME, éditions Ntsame, Gabon
• Safaa OUALI, éditions Le Fennec, Morocco
• Dieulermesson PETIT-FRÈRE, LEGS éditions, Haiti
• Mirline PIERRE, LEGS éditions, Haiti
• Isabelle PIVERT, éditions du Sextant, France
• Marie Michèle RAZAFINTSALAMA, Jeunes Malgaches, Madagascar
• Jean RICHARD, éditions d’en bas, Switzerland
• Rodney SAINT-ÉLOI, Mémoire d’encrier, Quebec, Canada
• Kenza SEFRIOUI, En toutes lettres, Morocco
• Aliou SOW, éditions Ganndal, Guinea
• Roger TAVERNIER, éditions Zellige, France
• Samia ZENNADI, éditions Apic, Algeria

Representatives of the Board and the permanent team of the International Alliance of independent publishers

• Laura AUFRÈRE
• Camille CLOAREC
• David ELOY
• Laurence HUGUES
• Georges LORY
• Mariam PELLICER
• Luc PINHAS
• Thierry QUINQUETON
• Mariette ROBBES

In just this past month, three prominent Iranian writers, translators, and members of the Association of Iranian Writers, Bektash Abtin, Kayvan Bazhan, and Reza Khandan Mahabadi, and journalist and sociology researcher, Khosrow Sadeghi Boroujeni, have been sentenced to prison on charges of “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and gathering and collusion with the intent of acting against national security.”

These accusations, which have led to long prison sentences and the charges levied are false. Their objectives are to further oppress writers and the people of Iran.
At a time when the world is under crisis by the pandemic, Iran, and especially within its prisons has a very unstable environment, with the increasing spread of Coronavirus among inmates.

We as authors and scholars would like to ask you to let the voices of our fellow authors in prison be heard by the people of the world and to demand their immediate release.

• Daryoush Ashouri, Author, Translator and the Co-founder of the Association of Iranian Writers
• Ervand Abrahamian, Author and Professor Emeritus, City University of New York
• Azar Nafisi, Author
• Faraj Sarkohi, Writer, Journalist, Literature Critic; A Member of German Pen; The Recipient of Kurt-Tucholsky-prize; World Association of Newspapers’ Golden Pen of Freedom Award and World Press Freedom
• Hero by International Press Institute
• Akram Pedramnia, Author, Translator; A Member of Pen Canada; the Recipient of James Joyce Foundation Scholar
• Moniro Ravanipour, Author
• Mohsen Yalfani, Author and Translator
• Nasim Khaksar, Author and Critic
• Reza Allamehzadeh, Moviemaker and Writer
• Morad Farhadpour, Author, Translator and Critical Theorist
• Akbar Masoumbaigi, Author, Translator and a Member of the Association of Iranian Writers
• Babak Ahmadi, Author, Translator and Philosophy Researcher
• Peyman Vahabzadeh, Author and Professor, University of Victoria
• Sohrab Behdad, Denison University, USA
• Farshin Kazeminia, Pierre and Marie Curie University (Paris 6)
• Amir Kianpour, PhD Candidate, University of Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis
• Mehran Mostafavi, Sacly University (Paris), Professor
• Iman Ganji, PhD in Art Philosophy and Philosophy Researcher, Free University of Berlin
• Mehrdad Darvishpour, Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor, Sociologist, Mälardalen University
• Farhad Nomani, Professor Emeritus of Economics, The American University of Paris
• Soheil Asefi, Journalist and PhD student in History, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York (CUNY)
• Saeed Hariri, Moderator, Toronto Book Club
• Azadeh Parsapour, Translator, Editor and Publisher
• Arash Kia, Faculty of Institute for Healthcare Delivery Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York

Read here the IPA (International Publishers Association) support, and here the manifesto published by the Brazilian actors, to defend the book in Brazil.

“Now that we have entered the 21^st century, it is difficult to dissociate the end from the means: what to say, and where to say it? Thus, we find that many authors seeking to promote debate, creativity and critical thinking, justice and equality are published by large conglomerates with multiple editorial labels. Isn’t the transformative power of these works reduced to nothing when they plunge into the workings of the entertainment industry? It is a fact that transnational corporations, whatever their field of action, are the very expression of the system that dominates us. By choosing them as publishers, do we not somehow leave the world of transformative ideas in the hands of those who lay the foundations of the model we criticise? Doesn’t that strengthen the control of big capital over the word and our daily lives? Moreover, how can we not question the cross-industry investment of the business groups that own publishing houses? And, are these investments neutral?”

In this open letter, independent publishers invite all the actors of the book industry to reflect with them on their practices and the impacts that result from them. In particular, they call on authors, academics and intellectuals to work on projects whose vocation is to transform the order of things and not to consolidate the status quo, to publish their works in independent publishing houses in their own countries, and to give preference to independent publishing houses when it comes to transferring foreign and translation rights.

As the world suffers the health, social and economic consequences of the pandemic, book ecosystems and independent publishing houses are further weakened and, for some, are trying to survive. If solidarity between creators and book professionals is one of the foundations of bibliodiversity, this solidarity is vital in the current context.

Read the letter here.
This letter is also available in Spanish, French, Arabic and Portuguese.

To be an independent publisher is to question the world, to help make sense of it, today and tomorrow

At a time when every country in the world is affected by the pandemic, we, as independent publishers around the world, are experiencing diverse health, social and economic situations. We are facing different realities, in different timeframes: immediate risks for some sections of the population (India, Madagascar, Indonesia...); a pandemic that strikes in contexts of already established political crisis (Haiti, Egypt, Syria...); the near absence or delayed implementation of public book policies (Cameroon, Gabon...); the resilience of independent publishing houses in the face of big corporations (Australia...).... While our contexts are diverse, our concerns remain collective: fragility of independent structures, uncertainty about the future, concern about possible abuses (surveillance society, pressure on employees, online teaching and learning, etc.).

We are in perpetual questioning, trying to understand our world: what to do, how, with whom, at what pace?
We need time to understand, to comprehend – which we had planned to do by 2021, as well as our “Rethink and Celebrate” Conference. REthink: to remain a conscious and creative actor, to act, in terms of ecology, social and solidarity economy, new approaches to readers, cooperative practices between professionals, freedom of publishing, fair speech...

Read more below...

See also:
Public book policies website

Digital Lab

Read the text in Arabic:

The International Alliance of Independent Publishers and publishers from the Spanish-language network pay tribute to the memory of the Chilean writer Luis Sepúlveda, who died on 16 April 2020 in Oviedo (Spain) as a result of the Coronavirus, after several weeks in hospital.

The Ibero-American Book Fair in Gijón, organised and directed by Luis Sepúlveda for more than a decade, was the setting for the creation of the first network of Spanish-language independent publishers, and the first meeting of Latin American independent publishers was held in 2000.

As a result, the International Alliance of Independent Publishers and the Association of Independent Publishers of Chile, now Editores de Chile, were formed.

Today we pay tribute to a man of generosity, solidarity and commitment to building a more just and humane world.

• Driven by the growth of independent publishing in Latin American countries.
• Revived by the increase in the number of fairs and meetings where creative and local editorial production are showcased.
• Encouraged by the ways in which some public reading and book policies are supporting local intellectual production and bibliodiversity.

Convened in Santiago de Chile on the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd of October 2019, during the Spring of the Book (Primavera del Libro) and the International Conference of Independent Publishers (2019-2021), the Spanish-language network of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers (IAIP) declares:

• Its privileged link with reading, a liberating practice that raises consciousness, stimulates critical thinking, nourishes the mind; and with the book, a fundamental support of creation, knowledge and thought, pillar of culture and cultural diversity.

• Its concern about the increasing merger of the book chain, which translates into the marginalisation of local production in bookstores, particularly that of independent publishers; dominates the media, obscuring blocking creation and critical editorial production; and excludes small and medium-sized publishers from public procurements of books.

• Its willingness to promote practices, in the world of publishing, that enable a rich and diverse book ecosystem, that stimulates local intellectual production, translation, and balanced exchanges of books amongst Spanish-speaking countries; strengthens independent bookstores and their presence in cities and communities; grows public, academic and school libraries with diverse and inclusive book collections; reflects bibliodiversity, the cultural diversity in the world of books.

• Its support for public reading and book policies as key drivers of the democratisation of the book in our societies; as systemic strategies strengthening the potential impact of any decision or action; and as mechanisms preventing market concentration, for the benefit of national book industries and local production.

And commits towards:

• Strengthening the collective action of independent publishers in favour of bibliodiversity and the participatory development of sound public reading and book policies.

• Amplifying the voice of independent publishing and increasing exchanges with readers, actors of the world of books and culture and public institutions, through studies, manifestos, documents, regional, national, and international meetings, and through a clear commitment towards the communities concerned.

• Promoting the sharing and diversity of reading, education and training in our communities, from a critical perspective, mindful of being part of a world rich in bibliodiversity, which we must protect today more than ever.

• Constantly interrogating our own production processes and dynamics inherent in the publishing world, in order to improve its impacts on our social and natural environment.

• Identifying and analysing the strategies and good practices in our respective countries, to better implement them where they are lacking.

The aim is to strengthen book ecosystems locally by involving all relevant actors, and to promote a book culture in our societies, a necessary condition to escape manipulation and to build democratic societies for critical and committed citizens.

We call on all independent publishers who share these statements to sign this declaration:

• Silvia Aguilera, Lom ediciones, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• German Baquiola, Editorial La Caída and collective of independent publishers of Equator, Equator.
• Nicolas Biebel, Econautas Editorial, Argentina.
• Constanza Brunet, Marea editorial, Argentina.
• Mikel Buldain, Txalaparta, Basque Country.
• Mariela Calcagno, Hacerse de Palabras, Mexico.
• Fabiola Calvo Ocampo, Acracia Proyecto de Investigación Editorial, Colombia.
• Patricia Cocq Muñoz, Cocorocoq Editoras, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Daniela Cortés del Castillo, Loba Ediciones, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Mónica Cumar, Ediciones Columba, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Héctor Dinsmann, Libros de la Araucaria, Argentina.
• Rodrigo Fuentes-Díaz, Edición Digital s.a., Editores de Chile, Chile.
• José Gabriel Feres, Virtual Ediciones, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Gustavo Mauricio García, Ícono editorial and president of the Colombian Network of Independent Publishers.
• Catalina González, Luna libros and the collective La Diligencia, Colombia.
• Teresa Gottlieb, Editorial Maitri, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Victor Hugo de la Fuente, Editorial Aún Creemos en los Sueños, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Guido Indij, la marca editora, Argentina.
• Eduardo Lira, Escrito con Tiza, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• María Eugenia Lorenzini, Editorial Forja, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Marcelo Mendoza, Mandrágora, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Lucía Moscoso Rivera, Mecánica Giratoria, Ecuador.
• Pablo Moya, Ediciones el Milagro and Mexican Alliance of Independent Publishers Alliance, Mexico.
• Francisca Muñoz, general manager at Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Daniela Navarro, Ediciones Ekaré Sur, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Mabel Andrea Rivera Pavez, Ediciones Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Eduardo Ruiz-Tagle Eyzaguirre, Editorial Rapanui Press, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Luis Daniel Rocca, Taller de edición Rocca and Colombian Network of Independent Publishers.
• Juan Carlos Sáez, JC Sáez editor, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Leonel Sagahón and Jerónimo Repoll, Editorial Tintable, Mexico.
• Alfonso Serrano, La Oveja Roja, Spain.
• Javier Sepúlveda, e-books Patagonia and president of Association Editores de Chile.
• Paulo Slachevsky, Lom ediciones, Editores de Chile, Coordinator RedH AIEI, Chile.
• Mónica Tejos, Simplemente editores, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• María José Thomas, Ocho Libros editores, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Max Valdés Avilés, Vicio Impune Editorial, Editores de Chile, Chile.
• Carlos Vela, Editorial Pesopluma and collective of independent publishers of Peru, Peru.
• Marisol Vera, Editorial Cuarto Proprio, Editores de Chile, Chile.

To sign the “Declaration of Santiago de Chile on independent publishing serving communities and diversity”, please contact the Alliance’ team.

Indie Book Day was created in 2013, by German independent publishers; since last year, it has been celebrated in other countries, thanks to independent publishers collectives and the Alliance.

How it works: On the third Sunday of March, readers are invited to visit an independent bookshop, buy a book published by an independent publisher, and post a picture of the book on social media with the hashtag #indiebookday. Booksellers and publishers can then organize a common campaign ahead of the event, to inform their communities (posters in the bookshops, information on social media and websites, etc.).

Find here Indie Book Day logos and more information on the official Indie Book Day website.

Bibliodiversity Day was created in 2010 by Latin American publisher members of the Alliance.

Since then, it has happened every year in numerous countries, especially in Latin America. On September 21, the first day of spring for the southern hemisphere, publishers, booksellers, book professionals and readers are invited to celebrate independent publishing and bibliodiversity.

How it works: All ideas and activities are welcome, coming from publishing houses, collectives of independent publishers, book professionals, and readers: bookcrossing, literary picnics, professional meetings, public readings, radio broadcasts, newspaper articles…

See here the literary and multilingual sound card for B-Day 2021 (and the Alliance’s 20^th anniversary).

Download B Day logos and visit the blog here.

Watch all B Day videos here->https://eldiab.org/videos-oficiales/.

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indpub/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bibliodiversidad/

The Children’s Book HotList highlights children’s books from independent publishers in Africa, Latin America and Europe. It is launched during the 2021 Bologna Children’s Book Fair, on June 14.

Comprising books from 16 countries, 36 publishing houses and 14 categories, this HotList represents the richness and diversity of independent publishing for youth and children’s literature.

You can find a book by searching its country, publisher or literary genre. If you are interested in a book, please do get in touch with its publisher.

We wish you a great discovery!

While the Arab world shares a language, the Arabic language, which has cemented its culture over centuries, it is far from being the only one. From the Maghreb to the Mashreq, from the Horn of Africa to Cham, this immense space covers a diversity of realities. Linguistic diversity is therefore inherent to it.

More than 30 independent publishing houses from 7 countries (Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Syria and Tunisia) and 9 languages offer you an immersion in the literature, humanities and children’s literature of the Arab world!

Through this HotList, available in Arabic and English, the independent publishers of the Arab world invite you to discover the 1001 facets of literary and intellectual creativity of their country.

Discover the HotList Arab world here!

This year, on the occasion of the Frankfurt Book Fair (14-18 October), two HotLists will be presented... virtually!

The Latin American HotList - 4^th edition: a selection of titles from more than 35 independent Latin American publishing houses from 8 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay) and from all genres: literature, humanities, youth/ children’s literature, comics... Find the Latin American HotList 2020 online here! Previous HotLists are also online, here.

The Arab World HotList - a very first: while the Arab world shares a language, the Arabic language, which has cemented its culture over centuries, it is far from being the only one. From the Maghreb to the Mashreq, from the Horn of Africa to Cham, this immense space covers a diversity of realities. Linguistic diversity is therefore inherent to it. More than 30 independent publishing houses from 7 countries (Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Syria and Tunisia) offer you an immersion in the literature, humanities and children’s literature of the Arab world! Through this HotList, the independent publishers of the Arab world invite you to discover the 1001 facets of literary and intellectual creativity of their country, online here!

The HotLists, while offering an opportunity to discover the creativity of independent publishers, are also tools facilitating the exchange of rights: books and authors are presented in the original language of the book and in English, the contacts of publishing houses are easily accessible and up to date – these lists are thus to be consulted and used throughout the year!

Discover here the HotList 2019!

Thanks to a partnership with Kurt Wolff Stiftung (the German collective of independent publishers, member of the Alliance) and the Frankfurt Book Fair, independent Latin American publishers in Frankfurt will be exhibiting at the “Reading Island for Independent Publishers” stand (Hall 4.1), twenty books of various genres: novels, short stories, art books, essays, children’s literature... from Argentina, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Mexico!

Context:
- 2009: The members of EDINAR (a group of Argentinian independent publishers) present a selection of the best books from their list at the Buenos Aires Book Fair. This selection is then promoted in independent bookstores across Buenos Aires.
- 2010: Argentina is the guest of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair. To make sure Argentinian independent publishing is well represented, the Argentinian independent publishers, in partnership with the Frankfurt Book Fair, present a HotList at the stand of independent German publishers, showcasing the diversity and quality of their books.
- 2017: The HotList 2017 opens to independent publishers from Latin America! Thanks to the collaboration with the collective Kurt Wolff Stiftung, a selection of about 40 titles from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay is exhibited in Frankfurt on the “Reading Island” (Hall 4.1 / D36).
- 2018: Following the success of the 2017 edition, the HotList 2018 is back and opens to Brazilian publishers. In addition, a thematic and international selection is launched: this year, the theme of “women’s struggle” is selected in the “WomenList”, showcasing more than 30 titles edited by independent publishing houses from all continents.
- 2019: The International Alliance of independent publishers and the Kurt Wolff Stiftung collective offer a new edition of the HotList. Some twenty books (novels, essays, children’s books, comics, art books) will be exposed at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2019. A colourful and powerful HotList this year!

More than 30 novels, short stories, essays and comics on feminism, women’s struggles, their emancipation across the world – these titles are from independent publishers’ lists from all continents.

There is a resurgence of the Women’s Movement following #MeToo and other events and a greater awareness of structural violence against women. Now is the time to know about books being published all around the world by independent publishers, in different languages and across a wide range of issues from the political to the imaginative.

To read through all the books of the WomenList is a reminder of just how much violence women have suffered – from rape, torture, and mass violence against women to indifference and neglect in the case of child abuse, to survival in war, sexual slavery and marriage forced by custom. But there is also resistance and optimism whether it be Pussy Riot or women rebelling against patriarchy as well as the inspiration of women in the vanguard of environmental projects or gathering together the works of women poets.

There are voices from so many places around the world – from Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, England, France, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Guinea, Morocco, Mexico, Senegal, South Africa, Switzerland, Syria, Turkey... Languages include Arabic, English, Indonesian, Farsi, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Turkish. Women write poetry, short stories, political tracts, novels, biography, graphic novels and again more. These are words that matter: women’s voices are loud. It is time to listen!

The WomenList is an initiative of the International Alliance of independent publishers, through a partnership with the Kurt Wolff Stiftung (collective of German Independent Publishers) and the Frankfurt Book Fair. The WomenList is presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair on the “Reading Island for Independent Publishers” stand (Hall 4.1 / D36) and is also available online, on the Alliance’ website. The catalog of the WomenList was made by Julie Agor (Oréka graphisme).

The WomenList was born in the wake of the HotList (selection of books published by independent Latin American publishing houses and presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2017 and 2018 – Hall 4.1 / D36).

Read here the article published by Publishing Perspectives, October, 5, 2018

In 2019, a new international selection will be showcased in Frankfurt, on another theme... succeeding the WomenList 2018!

The International Alliance of independent publishers celebrates the remarkable vitality of independent publishing in Latin America at the Frankfurt International Book Fair through a selection of books from Latin America: the HotList 2018!

Through a partnership with Kurt Wolff Stiftung (a collective of independent German publishers) and the Frankfurt Book Fair, independent Latin American publishers in Frankfurt will be exhibiting, at the “Reading Island for Independent Publishers” stand (Hall 4.1 / D36), more than thirty books of various genres: novels, short stories, art books, essays, children’s literature, and poetry... from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela!

The HotList is also available online, an opportunity to discover the wealth and creativity of independent publishers all year round.

Discover also the WomenList: a thematic and international selection created in 2018, celebrating women’s struggle!

Context…

• 2009: The members of EDINAR (collective of Argentinian independent publishers) present a selection of the best books from their list at the Buenos Aires Book Fair. This selection is then promoted in independent bookstores across Buenos Aires.
• 2010: Argentina is the guest of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair. However, Argentinian independent publishing is poorly represented. The Argentinian independent publishers, in partnership with the Frankfurt Book Fair, decided to present a HotList on the stand of independent German publishers: a showcase of the diversity and quality of their offering.
• 2017: The HotList 2017 opens to independent publishers from Latin America! Thanks to the collaboration with the collective Kurt Wolff Stiftung (independent German publishers), a selection of about 40 titles from publishers from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Uruguay is exhibited in Frankfurt on the “Reading Island” (Hall 4.1).
• 2018: Following the success of the 2017 edition, the HotList is repeated and opens to Brazilian publishers. In addition, a thematic and international selection is launched: this year, the theme of “women’s struggle” is selected in the WomenList 2018, showcasing more than 30 titles edited by independent publishing houses from all continents.

WHY A HOTLIST?

In 2009, together with the members of EDINAR (Argentinean Alliance of independent publishers), we decided to launch a promotion strategy, following the “Young independent Germans”: a HotList.

Against the tendentious ranking of the most sold out books published in the newspapers, every member of the collective had to choose one book among her/his new books -the one that she or he saw as the most outstanding, for whatever reason. With all EDINAR publishers, we thus formed a list, promoted at the same time by a group of booksellers from Buenos Aires who arranged a special table dedicated to this list in their bookshops during one month.

In 2010, Argentina was Guest country of Frankfurt Book Fair and the Argentinean National Book Chamber had a spacious booth with a strong presence of local publishing, which did not include many independent publishers. However, the Hotlist had an outstanding exhibition space in this Fair: thanks to a German colleague, curious publisher, philoanarchist, employed by the Fair, we got a well-situated booth and the possibility to exhibit our HotList.

Because a lot of Latin-American publishers cannot travel every year to Frankfurt, we have reminded this adventure and decided to implement it again this year, extended to Spanish-speaking publishers from Latin America, in order to give a better visibility to the vibrant Latin-American independent publishing, in the biggest commercial Book Fair of the World.

This HotList presents a selection of about 40 books published in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile… exhibited in the “Reading Island for Independent Publishers” (Pavilion 4.1) of the Frankfurt Book Fair, thanks to the cooperation of the Kurt Wolff Stiftung, group of German independent publishers.

We hope you will appreciate!

Guido Indij
Argentinean publisher, coordinator of the Spanish-speaking network of the International Alliance of independent publishers

These 80 recommendations are built on the principles upheld in the 2014 International Declaration of independent publishers, an important document promoting bibliodiversity, signed on September 20^th 2014, by more than 400 independent publishers from 45 countries.

They raise the necessary prerequisites, divided by themes, for the development, maintenance and strengthening of bibliodiversity in concerned countries. Some recommendations are accompanied by tools and projects (existing or to be developed in the context of the 2015-2016 Alliance programme of activities), enabling a practical implementation of independent publishers’ proposals.

Contents of the 80 recommendations & tools in support of bibliodiversity:

* Public policies safeguarding bibliodiversity
* Proposals and actions supporting digital bibliodiversity
* The Amazon system, a threat to bibliodiversity?
* Essential measures for publishing in local and national languages
* Methods for rethinking book donations
* Proposals and actions to develop solidarity publishing partnerships
* Activities to strengthen diversity in youth publishing

For all book actors to take ownership of these recommendations and tools, we invite you to contact us with your comments, suggestions, ideas, and proposals that could enhance and strengthen this document.