The Alliance

The label “Fair Trade Book” is attributed by the International Alliance of independent publishers to works published in the context of international publishing agreements that respect each other’s particularities: fair co- publishing. These fair copublishings enable the sharing of costs linked to intellectual and physical production of books and therefore ensure an economy of scale; an exchange of professional know-how and a common experience, while respecting the publishers’ cultural contexts and identities; and a distribution of works on a broader scale by adjusting prices for each geographic zone.

The notion of fair speech expands the idea of ‘free speech’ to incorporate the concept of justice. Indeed, in a context of media concentration, dominant powers (whether political, economic, religious, ideological, etc.) are the most represented and heard (because they are powerful or loud). Fair speech fosters speech equity for other voices that are often marginalised and/or censored to be heard. Fair speech therefore promotes an equitable access to expression (for example for women, historically marginalised groups, etc.), enabling an authentic diversity of voices. This concept was created by Betty McLellan in Unspeakable (Spinifex Press, 2010, Australia) and promoted by Susan Hawthorne in Bibliodiversity: A Manifesto for Independent Publishing (Spinifex Press, 2014, Australia).

The Dakar Declaration (December 2003) is the foundational text of the Alliance and birth certificate of the association. The Guadalajara Declaration (October 2005) is the outcome of a meeting held in Mexico between independent publishers from the Latin world.
The International Declaration of independent publishers for the protection and promotion of bibliodiversity (July 2007) was drafted and signed by the 70 publishers participating to the International Assembly of independent publishers held in Paris in 2007.
These three texts, as well as the 2014 International Declaration of independent publishers, are milestones in the history of the Alliance – they are a reminder, and bear witness to the present bearing testimony to the commitment of independent publishers, and serve as their policy guidelines.

The International Alliance of independent publishers is a professional collective that brings together more than 800 independent publishing houses in 60 countries around the world. Created as an association in 2002, it is composed of 6 language networks (English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Persian) and thematic groups. Members of the Alliance are publishing houses and publisher collectives.
The Alliance’s activities promote and strengthen bibliodiversity (cultural diversity applied to the world of the book).

In alignment with its mission, the Alliance created a Bibliodiversity Observatory that gathers studies, analysis and tools produced by the Alliance, aimed at professionals and public authorities. The Observatory’s objectives include assessing and strengthening bibliodiversity in the world.

The Alliance also hosts and facilitates international meetings and thematic workshops (for example on children’s book publishing, digital publishing, etc.), enabling independent publishers from various continents to exchange ideas and initiate collaborations. These meetings support increasing capacity through peer sharing, an aspect developed in particular around the issue of digital publishing in the context of the Digital Lab.
The Alliance supports international publishing projects (co-publishing, translation, copyright transfers, etc.), for greater circulation of texts and fair access to books for readers.

In 2022, the Alliance launched a first-of-its-kind initiative: the first edition of Babelica, an international online Book Fair of Independent Publishing, which takes place once a year, on 21 September (International Bibliodiversity Day).

• Gijón meeting (Spain), 2000 (an initiative led by four Spanish-speaking publishers in reaction to the emergence of Spanish multinationals in Latin America)
• Creation of the Alliance project by a group of publishers and Etienne Galliand – who would become the first director of the association
• Paris meeting (France), 2001 (some few days away from the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity)
• Foundation of the “Alliance of Independent Publishers Association, for Another Globalisation”, as per Law 1901 (head office in Paris) 2002
• Dakar meeting (Senegal), 2003 (Declaration of Solidarity amongst Independent Publishers)
• Guadalajara meeting (Mexico), 2005 (Declaration of independent publishers of the Latin world)
• International Assembly of Independent Publishers in Paris (France), 2007 (International Declaration of Independent Publishers to promote and strenghten bibliodiversity together)
• Name change of the association to International Alliance of independent publishers, 2008
• Creation of the International Committee of Independent Publishers (ICIP), 2009
• International Assembly of independent publishers – preparatory meetings and closing meeting in Cape Town (South Africa), 2012-2014 (International Declaration of independent publishers, to promote and strengthen bibliodiversity together, and 80 recommendations and tools in support of bibliodiversity)
• Creation of the Bibliodiversity Observatory, 2016
• Mapping public book policies in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, 2020
• International Conference of Independent publishing in Pamplona-Iruñea, 2021 (Declaration ’for independent, decolonial, ecological, feminist, free, social and solidarity-based publishing’)
• Guide to good practice, 2022
• First edition of Babelica, 2022

Year of publication: 2004,
154 pages,
12,5 X 19 cm

Year of publication: 2004,
140 pages,
12,5 X 19 cm

Year of publication: 2004,
140 pages,
12,5 X 19 cm

When is Africa’s turn? Here is a question that we would prefer to avoid, given Africa’s apparent hopelessness. But Joseph Ki-Zerbo, historian and man of action from Burkina Faso, cannot and will not gloss over this question. For him, Africa must conquer its identity, proud of its contribution to the human adventure, in order to regain its role in the world.
A fascinating book, nourished by an Africa lived and studied for decades, rich in the profound reflections of a historian on the role of his profession for concrete action by people. This political book was published simultaneously in Europe and Africa.

Year of publication: 2004, 202 pages

This deliberately provocative book refrains from idealising a mythical Africa or denying the black continent’s oft-dramatic situation, yet it claims that the so-called “backwardness” of Africa is actually the expression of a tremendous cultural resistance to a devastating economic model. By delocalising our viewpoint to Africa, the author urges us to examine our lifestyles and the values of liberal globalisation with a radically critical eye.

Year of publication: 2004, 160 pages, 15 x 21 cm

This book, designed by Indian, Brazilian and European authors and editors, presents diversified views of communication and democracy. Based upon many examples from these three continents, it proposes a reflexion on the logics of popular and citizen communication as well as on the social relevance of the communication revolution.

Year of publication: 2004

Globalization is accelerating, and we can observe today that the economic and financial mechanisms have left entire populations behind. Government development assistance does not appear to have fulfilled its missions and has not reduced North / South imbalances.
Based on an in-depth analysis of numbers and of existing government development assistance efforts, Guillaume Olivier presents a sometimes worrisome – but never pessimistic – assessment of the situation.

Year of publication: 2004, 178 pages

What image does Europe project to the outside world, this Europe who is used to gazing at herself, preoccupied with her minor or major internal quarrels? We asked this question to ten African writers. Coming from the Maghreb or sub-Saharan Africa, each of them chose one particular aspect of European culture: the question of time, femininity, technology, hospitality, the cult of the dead... From Carnac, Geneva, Germany and Senegal, Africa looks at Europe.

Year of publication: 2004

The advent of women in the public sphere, their federation across family and community borders, their challenge to perspectives and social practices, and their solidarity despite their differences surely represent one of the most irreversible phenomena of the 20^th century.
Yet the place of women remains a major international issue.
In this work, Édith Sizoo endeavors to understand the concepts that have been challenged by women and the alternatives that developed as a result. From her immense task of reading texts on the place and role of women written by feminists and non-feminists alike from all continents, one main feature emerges: the culture of relationships.

Year of publication: 2004

The Alliance has adopted an original method of internal organization, respecting both the democratic principles and the functioning of an international network. The Alliance rests above all on its member publishers, represented by the International Committee of Independent Publishers (ICIP). It also relies on a Board – charged with upholding and respecting the publishers’ decisions – and a permanent staff.