Public policies of the book in the Arab world: an unprecedented cartography revealed in Tunis

The recommendations of the draft study on the public policies of the book in the Arab world focus on the importance of reforming the legal framework in terms of publishing. Nevertheless, promoting freedom of expression, consolidating the culture of respect for intellectual property as well as to fight against hacking.

Support for publishers. In addition, -in particular independent publishers-electronic translation and publishing, carrying out reliable official statistics and studies as well as strengthening the dialogue between actors involved in the implementation of policies in the book and publishing sector are also at the heart of the recommendations.

Unveiled Tuesday at the City of Culture in Tunis. Similarly, “the mapping of public policies of the book in the Arab world” constitutes a major event in the history of the book and publishing sector in the region.

Thirty publishing houses representing 17 countries as well public policies book arab world: as public institutions. Similarly, actors and professionals from the Book Sector of the Arab World and La Francophonie take part in the launch of this project carried out over five years. Meanwhile, Organized from June 23 to 27. Similarly, this event is held on the initiative of the International Alliance of the Independent Publishing (AIEI), in partnership in particular with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, ACLSO and OIF.

The international alliance of independent publishing is a professional collective which brings together more than 980 independent publishing houses. Therefore, present in 60 countries around the world. Furthermore, Created in the form of an association in 2002. Therefore, it is articulated in 6 linguistic networks (English -speaking, Arabic -speaking, French -speaking, Hispanophone, Lusophone and Persian -speaking) and in thematic groups. The members of the Alliance are publishing houses and collectives of national publishers.

Constraints in the realization of cartography

The mapping of public policies book arab world: public policies of the book in the Arab world is presented by Samar Haddad (Atlas Publishing. Syria), coordinator of this project for the Arab world and the Arabic -speaking network of the Alliance, as well as by Hani Altelfah, author of the study.

The objective of cartography consists in particular in providing data on the public policies of the book in the countries concerned. promoting dialogue and exchanges between publishers and institutions and strengthening the circulation of books and ideas. Part of this study was devoted to the theme of intellectual property by presenting an arsenal of local laws. international agreements and treaties relating to the subject.

This 130 -page study refers to the paradox between the laws. their application in most Arab countries, in particular the laws relating to intellectual property, the fight against the hacking of the digital and printed book as well as those relating to the public policies book arab world: rights of the translator.

The study revealed the weakness of the teaching system. vocational training is one of the major gaps in the book industry in the Arab world where it is not taught, most often.

Syrian editor Samar Haddad presented the context in which this study project started in 2017 was carried out. based on data collection via an online form, online databases and interviews with publishers and representatives of public institutions intervening in the book and publishing sector.

“This study. the objective of which was to collect information relating to 18 Arab countries, made it possible to collect data relating to 11 countries only,” said the project coordinator. She explained constraints which are due to the lack of knowledge relating to the legal framework by professionals in the book. publishing sector, the divergence between laws and their application as well as lack of information on data relating to public policies book arab world: the sector, in particular official statistics. »»

Absence of national public policies in the sector

His compatriot Hani Talfah. media researcher, publisher and author of the study spoke of “the close link between public policies in the Arab region in matters of publishing and freedom of expression, citing for this purpose the censorship imposed on certain Arab institutions, in particular administrative, judicial and electronic censorship as well as self -censorship”.

Regarding the importance of public policies in the book. publishing sector in the Arab world, the researcher has mentioned “policies which are most often exclusively developed by official organizations and which are at the same time the authority defining national cultural policies”.

He underlined the case of certain countries where “policies in the publishing sector are almost absent while other countries even have cultural policies. citing countries like Yemen and Sudan in this regard”.

It emerges from this study that public policies book arab world: “publishing policies concern the publisher. direct players in the book industry as well as the entire chain of the book and publishing sector”.

This observation testifies to a low involvement of publishing houses. civil society in the development of public policies in terms of publishing and book. To this is added. constraints related to the non -compliance of the tax and legal procedures in force with the specificity of the sector, with in particular the complaint of publishers of VAT to import the book.

Interventions by publishers. a Tunisian thinker

Some Tunisian publishers members of the International Alliance of Independent Editing, like Nouri Abid and Elizabeth Daldoul, have underlined the challenges in the publishing and book sector, in particular artificial intelligence whose use poses an ethical question in connection with copyright and intellectual property.

“Previously launched in Latin America. Sub -Saharan Africa, the project to map public policies of the public policies book arab world: book in the Arab world is the culmination of long -term work within the alliance which works to prepare the world map of editorial policies,” said Nouri Abid.

Elizabeth Daldoul mentioned recalled the professional solidarity meetings organized Monday devoted to solidarity editorial partnerships between Arab. French -speaking publishing houses, with a particular accent placed on works devoted to Palestine or published by Palestinian publishers.

For his part. the professor of philosophy Hamadi Jaballah returned to the history of the publication of books and the restrictions and harassment facing the thinkers constrained in the displacement for the dissemination of their ideas, citing the main stages during which books were destroyed from the libraries and places of worship burned.