The Fifth Sustainability Summit, expertly led by Antje Watermann of UN Publications opened this year with a keynote by Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Melissa Fleming. Fleming underlined the vital role that publishing and books can play as well as their vital role in combatting mis- and disinformation.
The Summit was also the occasion of a signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the IPA and UN Women (read more here). IPA President, Gvantsa Jobava, was joined by past Presidents Ana Maria Cabanellas and Karine Pansa who shared their experiences as women leaders in publishing and acknowledged other leading women as examples and inspirations to others. Frankfurt Book Fair included a number of events on women in publishing organised by both UN Women, and PublisHer, the initiative founded by former IPA President, Bodour Al Qasimi.
The Summit then saw Mary Glenn, head of UN Publications inviting participants to share their views on the future of publishing, and the SDGs in the run up to 2030.
The Sustainability Summit, was not the only Summit that day, with the first Belonging Summit taking place later that day and leading to a joint commitment from international book sector organisations on encouraging inclusivity in the sector. You can read the statement here.
The IPA also held a meeting of its Inclusive Publishing and Literacy Committee where updates on the Committee’s work around literacy, accessibility, diversity and sustainability were presented, and where different countries were able to report on local developments in these areas. All IPA members are welcome to present delegates for the Inclusive Publishing and Literacy Committee. Please contact the IPA secretariat if interested.
Photo credit: UN Women/Erman Fermanci