{"id":72589,"date":"2026-11-02T17:15:31","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T17:15:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/?p=72589"},"modified":"2026-11-02T17:15:31","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T17:15:31","slug":"sharjah-publishers-global-exchange-matchmaking-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/2026\/11\/02\/sharjah-publishers-global-exchange-matchmaking-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"New Global Exchange programme and Matchmaking meetings strengthen market connections at 16th Sharjah International Publishers Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Themed discussions connect Arab and international publishing professionals alongside scheduled one-to-one Matchmaking meetings<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sharjah, November 2, 2026<\/p>\n<p>The 16th Sharjah International Publishers Conference is bringing publishers and rights professionals together through two complementary formats: scheduled Matchmaking meetings designed to support direct one-to-one business connections and rights opportunities; and the newly introduced Global Exchange programme, focused on themed discussions around markets, sectors and industry challenges.<\/p>\n<h2>Matchmaking and rights trading support direct business meetings<\/h2>\n<p>The conference\u2019s one-on-one Matchmaking programme continues to provide participants with scheduled meetings focused on business development, rights trading and potential partnerships.<\/p>\n<p>A regular feature of the Sharjah International Publishers Conference, these business-to-business meetings enable publishers, literary agents and other industry professionals to connect directly with potential partners from different markets, discuss catalogues and rights opportunities, and explore areas for future cooperation.<\/p>\n<p>The matchmaking meetings are being held on the second and third days of the conference, complementing the broader exchange of knowledge and market insights at the event.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-72589 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-large'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2.jpeg'><img width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Publishers participating in Global Exchange and Matchmaking at the Sharjah International Publishers Conference 2026\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-80x60.jpeg 80w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-265x198.jpeg 265w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-696x522.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-1068x801.jpeg 1068w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2-560x420.jpeg 560w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-2.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3.jpeg'><img width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-1024x768.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Publishers participating in Global Exchange and Matchmaking at the Sharjah International Publishers Conference 2026\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-80x60.jpeg 80w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-265x198.jpeg 265w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-696x522.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-1068x801.jpeg 1068w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3-560x420.jpeg 560w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-3.jpeg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h2>Helping first-time participants understand new markets<\/h2>\n<p>At a Global Exchange session, Rebecca Hart, Senior Relationship Manager at the British Council in London, said the platform provided an early opportunity for six UK publishers attending the conference for the first time to better understand the regional publishing landscape.<\/p>\n<p>During a session for Arab and UK participants, the group met a literary agent from the region and discussed local agenting and rights-selling practices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a chance for the group to ask questions and learn more about how agenting and rights selling work in the region,\u201d Hart said. \u201cI think they have come away with many potential future relationships and ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She added that the British Council is supporting the UK publishers in establishing relationships in new markets and making the most of their first participation in the conference.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-72557\" src=\"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4.jpeg\" alt=\"Publishers participating in Global Exchange and Matchmaking at the Sharjah International Publishers Conference 2026\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4-80x60.jpeg 80w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4-265x198.jpeg 265w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4-696x522.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4-1068x801.jpeg 1068w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-4-560x420.jpeg 560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Comics and graphic novel development<\/h2>\n<p>Another Global Exchange session focused on comics and graphic novels, bringing together participants from markets including Colombia, Kazakhstan, Sharjah, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and the United States.<\/p>\n<p>San Mon Aung, President of the Myanmar Publishers Association, said the format allowed participants to address shared challenges rather than focus immediately on buying and selling rights.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt Global Exchange, we are solving problems and discussing the challenges in each region,\u201d he said. \u201cWe learn from each other, share our experiences, and discuss how to find artists and develop the comics industry in our own regions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Paolo Herras, President and Co-founder of Komiket in the Philippines, said the session also gave comics and graphic novels greater visibility within the wider publishing programme.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is an opportunity to start showing that there is a space allocated for comics and graphic novels, so that more publishers specialising in comics and graphic novels are encouraged to be here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>US literary agent Janna Morishima highlighted the incredibly wide scope for unexpected connections. \u201cYou don\u2019t know what to expect, so any conversation could lead anywhere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-72559\" src=\"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6.jpeg\" alt=\"Publishers participating in Global Exchange and Matchmaking at the Sharjah International Publishers Conference 2026\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6-80x60.jpeg 80w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6-265x198.jpeg 265w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6-696x522.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6-1068x801.jpeg 1068w, https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/batch-0-6-560x420.jpeg 560w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Global Exchange sessions will continue on Tuesday with a meeting bringing together Arab publishers and representatives of the British Council, led by Rebecca Hart, followed by a session connecting African publishers with an Asian delegation, led by Adibah Omar. The programme will also feature a meeting between Tamil-language publishers and their counterparts from the Arab world.<\/p>\n<p>The annually held conference concludes on November 3 at Expo Centre Sharjah. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, this year\u2019s edition brings together 1,433 publishers from 126 countries for a professional programme spanning rights trading, market development, industry exchange and international collaboration ahead of the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Themed discussions connect Arab and international publishing professionals alongside scheduled one-to-one Matchmaking meetings Sharjah, November 2, 2026 The 16th Sharjah International Publishers Conference is bringing publishers and rights professionals together through two complementary formats: scheduled Matchmaking meetings designed to support direct one-to-one business connections and rights opportunities; and the newly introduced Global Exchange programme, focused [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":72558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1,26,36,34],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72589"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72589"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":72590,"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72589\/revisions\/72590"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hashtagdubai.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}