Meetings
Press report on the meeting of the Arab Publishers Association and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO)
As part of the activities of the 2026 Rabat International Book Fair, an important meeting was held between the Arab Publishers Association and the Islamic World Organization for Education, Science and Culture (ISESCO) at the organization's headquarters within the fair, with the presence of several prominent figures from both sides.
Attendance
The Arab Publishers Association was represented by:
• Mr. Mohamed Rashad
• Dr. Mohamed Al- Maalej
• Mr. Salami Maki 
• Mr. Bakr Zidan
• Mr. Mohamed Al-Attabi
• Mr. Mazen Mesto
• Mr. Yazan Yaqoub
ISESCO was represented by:
• Dr. Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan, Director of the Translation and Publishing Center
• Dr. Mohamed bin Saadoun Al-Anzi, Head of the Publishing and Library Department
• Mr. Mohamed Al-Ansari, Representative of the Culture and Communication Sector
• Dr. Khalid (from the organization)
Main points of the meeting:
The meeting focused on enhancing the presence of the Arabic book in non-Arabic speaking Islamic countries through a series of practical initiatives, most notably:
• Organizing Arabic book fairs in non-Arabic speaking Islamic countries, while working to support the participation of Arab publishers in them.
• Proposal to organize model exhibitions in:
• Kazakhstan (the Eurasian Book Fair)
• Nigeria, considering the growing interest in the Arabic language and the presence of universities that use it in teaching.
• Establishing a unified Arabic pavilion within these exhibitions in non-Arabic-speaking Islamic countries, including publishers selected on a rotational basis by the Arab Publishers Association, with the aim of studying the effectiveness of these participations and developing them.
• Launching the "Islamic World Book" platform, as a digital mechanism to promote the dissemination of Arabic books within the non-Arabic-speaking Islamic space.
• Confirming the launch of a strategic partnership between ISESCO and the Arab Publishers Association, where Dr. Ahmed Al-Bunyan stated that this partnership has entered into effect, awaiting the official announcement of the "Arab-Islamic Book" project.
• Working on establishing an annual award supported by the Islamic Bank, with a proposal by Mr. Mohamed Rashad for it to be carried out in cooperation with the Arab Publishers Association.
Summary
This meeting reflects a clear trend towards expanding the presence of Arab writers within non-Arabic speaking Islamic countries, through practical mechanisms including exhibitions, digital platforms, and institutional partnerships, which enhances the spread of Arab and Islamic culture and supports the publishing industry on an international level.
Dr. Mohammed Saleh Al-Maalej
Chairman of the Media and Public Relations Committee