9th Istanbul Publishing Fellowship

The opening ceremony of the 9th International Istanbul Publishing Fellowship, with Anadolu Agency (AA) as the Global Communications Partner, was held at Rami Library. Organized by the Turkish Press and Publishers Copyright & Licensing Society (TBYM) with contributions from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and support from the Press and Publishing Association, the program brought together numerous national and international publishers.


 
Attendees included Prof. Dr. İskender Pala, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art Policies; UAE Consul General in Istanbul Saeed Saqer Al Muhairi; Deputy Director General of Copyrights Fatoş Altunç; Director General of Libraries and Publications Taner Beyoğlu; ITO Chairman Şekib Avdagiç; ITO Vice Chairman Mehmet Develioğlu; ITO Board Member Münir Üstün; Head of Libraries and Publications Department Nizar Kara; TEDA Branch Manager Hakan Koray Özlük; International Publishers Association (IPA) Vice President Gvantsa Jobava; Mexican Publishers Association (CANIEM) President Hugo Setzer; Kazakhstan International Eurasia Book Fair Coordinator Nurlan Issabekov; Chairman of the Press and Publishing Association Mustafa Karagüllüoğlu; and DEKMEB President Mustafa Altundal.


 
TBYM President Mehmet Burhan Genç, Deputy Director General for Copyright Fatoş Altunç, Director General for Libraries and Publications Taner Beyoğlu, IPA Vice President Gvantsa Jobava, ITO President Şekib Avdagiç, CANIEM President Hugo Setzer, and Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Council on Culture and Arts Policies Prof. Dr. İskender Pala delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. Prof. Dr. İskender Pala discussed the current state of Turkey's publishing sector, the global trajectory of the industry, the opportunities technology provides, and the challenges it poses. Following the speeches, ITO President Şekib Avdagiç presented a plaque to CANIEM President Hugo Setzer, and the program was officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The event continued with copyright and translation meetings involving publishers from countries across Far Asia, Latin America, Northern Europe, and Africa.


 
For the ninth year of the program, Mexico was confirmed as the focus country for 2024 during the “focus country” event, where a country’s publishing and literature will be thematically explored.



Mexican Ambassador Jose Luis Martinez Y Hernandez attended the Gala Dinner at the Bayrampaşa Windsor Hotel, supporting Mexican publishers. A mini concert of Mexican music was performed during the event. Plaques of appreciation were presented to representatives of the sponsoring companies, and members of the Program Organization team were invited to the stage to introduce themselves and thank the participants.


 
As part of the Focus Country activities, a VIP meeting was organized with Hugo Setzer, President of the Mexican Publishers Association (CANIEM), and Mexican publishers. During this meeting, ideas were exchanged regarding sector development and strengthening cultural cooperation through increased mutual copyright exchanges with Mexico.



The International Istanbul Publishing Professional Meetings aim to enhance cooperation among publishers worldwide, transform Istanbul into a copyright market, and closely monitor sector developments.



Since 2021, the program has been held in a hybrid format, allowing participants to engage in both physical and online bilateral meetings.