PublisHer highlights women’s leadership at Warsaw International Book Fair 2026

Warsaw: PublisHer, the global community dedicated to advancing women in the publishing industry, has concluded its first participation with a four-day programme at the Warsaw International Book Fair.The participation, held from 28 to 31 May, formed part of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme, highlighting the emirate’s commitment to international cultural exchange and dialogue.Throughout the fair, visitors gathered at the PublisHer stand, located within the Sharjah Book Authority’s official pavilion, to engage with publishing professionals, readers and industry leaders from Poland and beyond. The programme included two panel discussions placing women’s leadership at the centre of global publishing conversations.PublisHer Founder Bodour Al Qasimi said the participation was made possible through the organisation’s partnership with the Sharjah Book Authority, adding that the Guest of Honour platform offered an opportunity to connect with women across the Polish publishing sector.She said the event resulted in new partnerships and reinforced the importance of building connections among women in publishing markets worldwide.On 29 May, PublisHer hosted a panel discussion on the main stage titled “Women Reshaping Global Publishing: Who Decides What the World Will Read?”, which explored how women leaders influence acquisition trends, translation decisions and the global circulation of stories. The session was moderated by Magda Szpyrka-Ankiewicz and featured Sonia Draga, Clare Christian and Magdalena Kłos Podsiadło.On 30 May, a second panel held at the Sharjah Stage, titled “What Translates, What Travels: Rights, Translation and Market Access Between the UAE and Poland”, examined the factors shaping the movement of books across markets and the requirements for international success.The session was moderated by Anna Jarota in collaboration with the Emirates Publishers Association, with panellists including Małgorzata Duda-Klag, Joanna Maciuk, Ameera BuKadra and Dr Latifa AlHaj.PublisHer’s participation in Poland was facilitated by Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme at the fair, coordinated by the Sharjah Book Authority as part of its efforts to promote Sharjah and the UAE as global centres for culture, literature and knowledge exchange.