In October 2024, the members of the Alliance decided to create a space of solidarity with book professionals in Palestine, to promote and encourage the circulation of Palestinian texts across continents, and to make the voice of book professionals in Palestine heard.
This space is flexible and will take different formats. In 2026, the Alliance is offering a catalogue of titles on Palestine (titles published by Palestinian publishing houses and/or about Palestine). This catalogue is based on titles proposed and recommended by Alliance members. The primary objective of this catalogue is to promote projects involving the transfer of rights, co-publications and translations of titles published in Palestine or about Palestine. It will be regularly updated and expanded.
In June 2025, Arabic-speaking publishers (including Palestinian publishers) and French-speaking publishers gathered in Tunis for meetings organised by the Alliance to present titles from their catalogue on Palestine, with a view to exchanging rights (transfer of rights, co-publications, translations).
The right to read, resist, hope The new generation speaks out
Initiated by the International Alliance of Independent Publishers, the Fez Conference is organised in collaboration with En toutes lettres in Morocco, which put forward Fez’s candidacy to host this upcoming major event.
Common thread Strengthening and promoting the values of the Alliance
In 2021, while the world was living to the rhythm of the Covid pandemic, preparations were underway for the 2021 Pamplona Conference, with one key word in mind : REthink. How would independent publishing be built “after” ? What would be the responsibility of independent publishers in the transitions and transformations of tomorrow ? How can we (re)affirm the role of bibliodiversity in building more emancipated, freer and fairer societies ? The Declaration that came out of the Pamplona Conference reflected (and still reflects) the collective will of independent publishers to work “For a decolonial, ecological, feminist, free, social and united independent publishing”, recalling their commitment to the cultural, social and political nature of books and reading ; the democratisation of books in society ; reading as an emancipatory practice that forges the critical spirit of citizens, as active participants within their society.
Following the 2021 Conference, several initiatives were set up : a Guide to Good Practice, thematic working groups within the Bibliodiversity Observatory, the Babelica Book Fair dedicated to independent publishing on an international scale, translation and co-publishing projects, mapping, analyses, workshops, meetings, etc.. At the same time, the Alliance network has grown and welcomed new publishing houses (particularly in Asia and the Arab world). A lot has happened in 6 years.
The Conference will therefore continue the work and reflection that are at the heart of the Alliance network around these issues (book ecology, public book policies, freedom to publish, solidarity co-editions, digitalisation/ AI, etc.) and commitments made by independent publishers.
• Passion at the expense of health (mental, financial, physical...) ?
• Which book for which reader ?
• Status of book donations ?
• What are the alternatives to industrial piracy ?
• What are the uses and practices of AI for independent publishing ? What are the possible “ethical” alternatives ?
• What are the good ecological practices for publishers ?
• What translations from so-called ‘minority’ languages into the dominant languages ?
Inclusive and welcoming ; fostering dialogue and amplifying voices
The 2027 Conference is also shaped by several key words : ‘everyday’ youth/ Gen Z/ LGBTQIA+ voices/ censorship (and the circumvention of censorship)/ mental health/ well-being/ safe spaces/ inclusion/ critical thinking...
A chaotic and bruised world
Since 2021, new conflicts have erupted around the world, and the violence of war has become a daily reality for more publishers. The rise of nationalism, conservatism and authoritarianism has spread throughout societies, with waves of racism and sexism threatening diversity (gender, religious, cultural, etc.). Natural disasters have multiplied, rendering us powerless spectators of a predicted climate crisis. Financial and technological empires have been formed and consolidated, imposing a standardisation of content, undermining the current book ecosystem and limiting freedom of expression and critical thinking.
It is in this increasingly chaotic and bruised world that we find ourselves 6 years on... A world where it is becoming difficult to listen to one another, to engage in dialogue, to disagree. A world where the debate of ideas and books is threatened (even banned), where censorship (and self-censorship) prevents a plurality of points of view and testimonies...
Spaces of solidarity and resistance
In this context of retreat, difficulties and even dangers for the expression and representation of all diversities, there are many spaces of solidarity and resistance on a small or large scale that achieve great things. These “safe spaces” can be helpful, unifying and hopeful. These spaces of solidarity and resistance will be at the heart of the forthcoming International Conference of Independent Publishers.
• How can we resist together ?
• What are the means of circumventing the attacks on freedoms ?
• What social and political role do books and publishers play ?
• How do we discuss complex and sensitive issues in an intercultural context ?
• How do we publish in times of crisis and war ?
• How do we take care of ourselves, of these spaces of solidarity ?
Other voices/ directions
In Indonesia, Madagascar, Morocco, Nepal, Peru... the Generation Z is on the streets, demanding new possibilities, calling for greater social justice and dreaming of a dignified life. This new generation will lead the Conference, thanks to a partnership with the School of Critical Thinking, an initiative run by En toutes lettres in conjunction with the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez. A group of students and emerging book professionals will develop the Conference programme, facilitate the debates and discussions and share their experiences and perspectives.
• How and around what issues is the new generation organising its resistance ?
• What role and place do books and reading play in this resistance - and more broadly for the new generation ?
• What are the ways in which Gen Z organise themselves and their knowledge ?
• What are the hopes and utopias of young people ?
• How can we build bridges (between cultures, generations, etc.) ?
As a unique moment for the independent publishing movement, the Conference highlights another facet of the world of books, made up of a multitude of voices that are often marginalised and stifled. Based on intercultural dialogue, solidarity and a plurality of approaches, the Conference is a forum for discussion, reflection, research and action. It provides an overview of independent publishing worldwide (Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, the Arab world and Oceania) : it sets the tone for the trends and issues that are shaping the world of books - and, more broadly, the state of the world.
More information here (document under development, currently being collectively constructed !) :
Auteur(s) : Mouneer AL-SHAARANI
Pays de parution : Égypte, Émirats arabes unis, Liban, Syrie, Tunisie
Langue(s) :
anglais
, arabe
, espagnol
, français
Écrit en arabe avec une traduction en français, anglais et espagnol, ce livre est coédité par 5 membres du réseau arabophone de l’Alliance internationale de l’édition indépendante (Atlas Publishing, Damas ; Arab Diffusion, Beyrouth ; El Ain, Le Caire ; Med Ali, Sfax et Mamdouh Adwan, Sharjah).
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Sciences Po Rennes and spending a year abroad in Chile, Eulalie Patat is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Cultures and Transitions at Sciences Po Rennes. Interested in issues of cultural diversity, the circulation of knowledge, and book policy, she is focusing on the independent and socially conscious publishing sector. In 2025, she joined the team at the International Alliance of Independent Publishers.
More than 160 independent publishing houses from 58 countries took part in Babelica : for those wondering what bibliodiversity is, here is a fine example of it through the diversity of titles, languages, countries, points of view and sensibilities represented by these publishing houses. A multitude of voices, often invisible, can be discovered here.
Some excerpts from the round tables at this edition of Babelica : #Palestine
“Even though the books were destroyed and burnt, making them unsuitable for reading, we found another use for them. We distributed them to the inhabitants so that they could use them as fuel, so that they could cook in the absence of gas. In this way, the books became a means of subsistence” Samir Mansour (Samir Mansour Bookshop & Printing, Gaza)
“It is crucial to document the situation of the authors : who has been killed, what are their publications ? We must honour the authors in Gaza and archive their work, both on paper and digitally” Fuad Akleek (Al Raqamia Publishing House, Jerusalem)
“As soon as the war ends, we will work together, hand in hand, to restore culture to its rightful place in the Gaza Strip. We will resume our role with even greater vigour, to produce new books and reconstitute what has been lost in private, public and collective libraries. In this way, we will pass on the torch to the new generation, so that they carry it armed with culture and conscience, and not in ignorance of their history” Atef Al Durra (Al Kalima Publishing House, Gaza)
#Freedom to publish
“When the statehood is in danger, and when we see the aggressor is investing so much money in propaganda and in the destruction of our culture, our language, everything, we are forced to impulse censorship because that’s the way to survive and to protect what is ours. In peaceful time, the question of censorship will be a totally different point of discussion but right now, unfortunately, that’s the need” Slava Svitova (Creative Women Publishing, Ukraine)
“When we chose to not publish in Urdu and to publish in English, that’s the big self-censorship that we have” Saeed Husain (Folio Books, Pakistan)
“Writers who are critical of the government, of policies, writers who express their identity are facing censorship, imprisonment, judicial, arrests. Governments use security laws to shoot down critical voices. The main tendencies are digital shot down ; LGBTQIA+ writers are attacked, books are banned – in America last year, we had 10 000 instances of books banned” Romana Cacchioli (PEN International)
#Public Book Policies
« We cannot escape the legacy of colonial policy. Publishing is developed around text books, importations, and not really around an independent creative publishing. Today, our industry really reflects the influence of this colonial culture. English is the dominant language in schools for reading for young people in Ghana and in many parts of Anglophone Africa. That is a lot of work for independent publishers to produce works in the creative space and in local languages but they struggle » Ama Dadson (Akoo Books, Ghana)
« This study explores the publishing policies in the Arab world, involving publishing specialists from eleven Arab countries. It focuses on several key themes, including : freedom of expression, the publishing industry, book-related public policies, various forms of censorship, the book-related socioeconomic environment, intellectual property rights and other relevant issues » Hani Altelfah (Al Marfaa, Turkey)
This year, the main objective of the ICIP meeting is to collectively organise the next International Conference of Independent Publishing, which will be held in Fez (Morocco) in 2027.
Jean was a founding member of the Alliance, one of its pillars, who always believed in people, dialogue, and the intersection of languages and cultures. A fervent advocate of solidarity co-publishings, he initiated and participated in numerous projects aimed at circulating literature across countries and continents.
It is so hard right now to realise that we will no longer see Jean, that his laughter will no longer ring out, that we will no longer be able to learn from him. Jean’s passing reminds us of the necessity and importance of solidarity, friendship and generosity ; it is up to us to continue on this path, to be curious about life and about others ; it is up to us to believe in utopias.
The next edition of the International online book fair of independent publishing, Babelica, will take place on 24 and 25 September 2025. To find out about all the activities at Babelica, click here !
The programme for the 2025 edition focuses on three themes :
The cultural, social and economic added value of independent publishers is often little known outside professionals in the book and reading ecosystem, and goes unnoticed by readers. Similarly, among independent publishers, there are different ways of carrying out editorial work, more or less aligned with the good practices of sustainability and bibliodiversity that the publishers of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers defend.
Against this backdrop, the Spanish-language network of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers has decided to use this label to “explain” to readers and stakeholders in the book trade why publishing with a committed independent publisher is different from publishing with a multinational.
The label highlights three areas of editorial work : ecological, decolonial, social and solidarity-based.
Three guidelines have been drawn up for each of them.
ECOLOGICAL
1. The book has been printed locally (in the country/region where the publisher works) in order to reduce the carbon footprint generated by transport from other latitudes. It also contributes to the development of the local economy.
2. The print run of the book has been adjusted as closely as possible to its commercial potential, thus avoiding overstocking, which leads to excess use of raw materials and an increase in stored resources.
3. No additional plastic materials have been used other than those required for the book in the climatic conditions in which it was printed, in order to protect the environment and the quality and durability of the book.
DECOLONIAL
1. The publishing house publishes works in minority/local languages, thereby promoting plurality of content, democratising access to reading and encouraging the circulation of ideas beyond hegemonic languages.
2. The publishing house co-publishes with other independent publishers, in its own country or in other countries with the same language, in order to promote joint work, solidarity and the strengthening of local ecosystems.
3. The publishing house is a member of a local and/or international association of independent publishers working to strengthen bibliodiversity.
SOCIAL AND SOLIDARITY-BASED
1. For equal working hours, the pay gap within the publishing house will not exceed a scale of 1 to 3, in order to guarantee fair pay between employees.
2. Copyright is respected in accordance with current regulations, and a fair income has been agreed between the author and the publisher.
3. The publication promotes access to books beyond the logic of the market, encouraging the circulation of ideas by establishing a fair price that seeks to determine the most economic value possible for the work, taking into account the durability of the book and the editorial catalogue.
An online workshop on book ecology, held on 20 January 2026.
This workshop was offered by the Institut de l’Ecoedició (an initiative launched by Pol·len Edicions – a member of the Alliance in Catalonia/Spain).
The Institute proposes analytical tools to manage and improve the publication of eco-books. In this workshop, the Institute’s team shares their experience and practices and presents the BookDAPer (an environmental calculator for the publishers).
Young democracies are fragile. How are Eastern European publishing houses fighting against the danger, ideology, hybrid war, propaganda, fake news and violence of the hegemonic forces within the post-communist space and times ? What are the strategies of Ukrainian publishers to empower themselves in the war ? How is Slovakian culture dealing with the incompetent and risky behaviour of several of its leaders ? What are Bulgarian publishers most scared of within their practice ? How can we inspire each other in our coping strategies ? Are local writers able to become again strong voices of their society and change the political heading ? What are the strategies of Eastern European publishing houses to place their work in the global book market ? And what are the main subjects from the post-communist regions that have the potential to enrich the global culture, narrative and storytelling ?
Speakers :
Antoinette Koleva (KX - Critique and Humanism Publishing House, Bulgaria)
Slava Svitova (Creative Women Publishing, Ukraine)
František Malík (BRaK, Slovakia)
Moderated by Barbora Baronová (wo-men, Czech Republic)
At a time when the far right is gaining ground in many countries, when a wind of authoritarianism, conservatism and extremism is spreading, when ultra-capitalist (or ultra-liberal) models are at work, many fundamental freedoms are being called into question. The book industry (and independent publishing in particular) is no exception. What are the consequences of these political, societal and economic shifts for the freedom to write, publish and read ? How are authors, publishers, booksellers and librarians around the world affected by this crumbling of democracy and freedom ? What are the mechanisms for circumventing these attacks on freedoms, the alternatives that have been put in place and the hopes held out by book professionals ?
Speakers :
Romana Cacchioli (Director of PEN International)
Gvantsa Jobava (President of the International Publishers Association)
Maia Simonishvili (Parliamentary National Library of Georgia, member of the IFLA European Regional Committee and the FAIFE Advisory Committee)
Moderated by Kenza Sefrioui (En toutes lettres, Morocco)
The Australian Publishers Association has published in 2024 a Green Guide dedicated to sustainable practices in publishing. This document highlights the environmental issues associated with book production and distribution, and offers concrete recommendations for reducing the ecological footprint of the publishing chain : choice of materials, printing, distribution, and raising awareness among industry stakeholders.
Consult the complete guide on the Australian Publishers Association website : Greener Publishing Guide
Following the publication in 2019 of a mapping of public book policies in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa/ Madagascar and Latin America, the independent publishers of the Arab world are pleased to present the mapping of public book policies in 11 countries in the region : Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.
Given the instability and socio-political fragility in the region, this project was a challenge that the project coordination team (Samar Haddad, Atlas Publishing in Syria ; Fayez Allam, Syria ; Hani Altelfah, Marfaa for Culture and Publishing in Turkey) met with determination and conviction.
(Re)experience in pictures the launch of the mapping of public policies in the Arab world, which took place at the Cité de la Culture in Tunis in June 2025.
Objectives and methodology
The mapping was developed between 2018 and 2019 for the following 2 regions : Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa/ Madagascar. Work to update the data for these two regions has been underway since November 2025. The mapping was finalised in 2025 for the Arab world (the data collected dates from 2023-2024 for this region).
The mapping proposes a comparative approach to public book policies in three regions of the world –Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa/Madagascar and the Arab world– and emphasises the need for them to maintain bibliodiversity in the regions studied. These overviews provide an overall context, particularly through the cross-sectional analyses, as well as information on the specific measures being implemented in each country, through the country profiles. These two levels of information highlight both the similarities and the differences between the countries studied. One of the main aims of this tool is to encourage dialogue between publishing professionals and public authorities to consolidate and/or develop public policies in each country.
For the Arab world, data was collected from book professionals and public authorities in around twenty countries. In many cases, the data collected was not sufficiently accurate or complete : while the absence of and/or difficulty in obtaining information is a significant element of analysis in itself (on the lack of transparency of book support schemes, on the lack of knowledge among book professionals of existing legislative frameworks, on the absence of book-related policies, etc.), the information was too incomplete for these countries to be mapped. There are therefore gaps in this mapping : several countries representing very significant economic and cultural weight for books in the Arab world are not (yet) mapped. This mapping (undoubtedly) contains inaccuracies, even errors : several pieces of information received were contradictory and although they were checked, it was sometimes very difficult to arrive at certainties. We apologise for this in advance and would be grateful for any comments or remarks you may have. The mapping is not set in stone and is work in progress : you can contribute to it (click on “Contribute” when you are in a country file). If you would like to add a country to the map, please contact us : equipe@alliance-editeurs.org
Once the data had been collected, Hani Altelfah (a researcher and publisher based in Turkey) carried out a cross-cutting analysis of the data. This analysis focuses on several key issues, including freedom of expression, the various forms of censorship, the socio-economic environment of the book, intellectual property rights, etc. It is available here in Arabic and here in English.
Acknowledgements
The International Alliance of Independent Publishers warmly thanks all the book professionals who have contributed to this project ; Samar Haddad, who has tirelessly supported this project, despite all the challenges encountered and the many moments of doubt ! Fayez Allam, who worked behind the scenes with immense patience ; Hani Altelfah for his energy and the quality of his analyses ; Franck Mermier for his proofreading and advice ; the team of translators and proofreaders (Dahouk Rukieh, Abdulla Fadel, Anna Akkash) ; Dépli Studio for designing the mapping website ; Nouri Abid (Med Ali, Tunisia) for organising the mapping launch in Tunis.
Finally, the Alliance would like to thank the Open Society Foundations for their invaluable support and trust.
When discussing decolonialism in a formal and academic manner, we observe or criticise paradigms that, from a European and Western perspective, fail to take into account the particular characteristics of different societies and cultures, which are also classified as inferior to Western and European standards, particularly colonialist ones. As cultural agents, even if we do not call ourselves that, we can ask ourselves whether our publishing practice is part of that system of coloniality that leads us to want to reproduce, whether imposed or not, what is done by hegemonic cultures, or whether we have consciously distanced ourselves from it.
This raises some questions we can ask ourselves : how much freedom do we have to publish what we want to publish ? Are we really publishing with complete freedom ? If freedom is a concept that comes from Europe, when we publish, do we consciously distance ourselves from the ideas that seem to have been imposed on our non-hegemonic societies ? The book, that object produced by our publishing practice but above all a reflection of our cultural practices, manifests itself in different ways according to the different contexts in which we are immersed. Can we make it a tool for decolonisation, or should it be the one that is “decolonised” ?
The discussion about freedom of publication and decolonial issues from different countries and, therefore, cultures, raises more questions than answers, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on how we position ourselves in the broad publishing ecosystem and, therefore, in bibliodiversity.
