This year’s London Book Fair (10-12 March) brought together the global publishing world to address the most pressing issues in the industry.
From AI-generated novels to the diminishing human rights space for authors to express their ideas, and how to stay the course on sustainability when one geopolitical conflict after another impacts not only publishers’ attendance but also their priorities.
The London Book Fair, which attracted over 30,000 visitors and more than 1,000 exhibitors, offers the UN a unique opportunity to align its goals and mission with one of the biggest and most influential industries in the world.
UN Publications had worked closely with the fair and publishing organizations to showcase how publishing can advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) despite headwind coming climate leadership by governments retreating or being recalibrated.
Mary Glenn, Chief of UN Publications, Department of Global Communications, represented the UN in two key sessions on 11 March.
In the “Climate Action through Courageous Publishing: Safeguarding the SDGs” panel, Ms. Glenn emphasized the need for the industry to keep climate action a top priority. Drawing on ongoing initiatives such as the SDG Publishers Compact and the SDG Book Club, she highlighted how publishers have made significant progress is establishing more sustainable business practices while continuing to publish books on climate action.
“Publishers have both the reach and the responsibility to shape understanding and inspire action on climate,” Glenn noted. “By aligning our practices with the SDGs and ensuring the integrity of the information we produce, we can help drive meaningful change.”
“Books against Authoritarianism: Publishing through a Human Rights Lens”, organized by English PEN, a human rights organisation, championed the freedom to write and the freedom to read around the world. The discussions focused on the impact of rising authoritarianism and increasing threats to freedom of expression. Panellists examined how publishers can respond responsibly.
“Freedom of expression and freedom to publish along with information integrity and independent media are keys to democracy,” Gleen noted. Her phrase, “Storytelling is human right,” resonated with publishers and authors alike.
Coming up...
Next stop for UN Publications is the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (13-15 April). One of the highlights is the annual reading of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
For more information, visit @UNPublications on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X.
