The 10th International Istanbul Publishing Fellowship Has Begun

The opening ceremony of the “10th International Istanbul Publishing Fellowship,” with Anadolu Agency (AA) as the Global Communication Partner, was held at the Rami Library.

Organized by the Turkish Printing and Publishing Industry Association (TBYM) with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Press and Publishing Association, the event brings together numerous national and international publishers.

This year, publishers from 75 countries are participating in the event, which is expected to make significant contributions to international copyright exchanges.

“We prioritize introducing our works to the global market”

In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), TBYM Chairman Mehmet Burhan Genç described the program as an important marketing event that brings together the publishing world.

Genç emphasized that the event provides a professional platform where book copyrights can be bought and sold, stating:
“This year, 250 foreign and 120 local publishers are participating in the program. Over the course of three days, our attending publishers will hold half-hour B2B meetings and have the opportunity to present their works to different publishers.”

Highlighting that the primary goal of the program is to promote local works worldwide, Genç added:
“We prioritize introducing our local works to the global market and facilitating their translation into other languages. Our country has become a cultural crossroads and meeting point. This event has evolved into a hub where different languages come together. We aim for the Istanbul Publishing Fellowship to be among the world’s leading events.”

“Our publishers have started producing books with a global audience in mind”

Genç noted the increasing interest from publishers in the event, stating:
“This year, we received nearly 1,000 applications, about a quarter of which were from first-time applicants. Publishers from around the world have reached out to us to participate in our event, which shows that the program is becoming more global.

Thanks to the Istanbul Publishing Fellowship, our local publishers, who were previously only buyers, have now become sellers of their own publications. Our publishers have increasingly begun producing books with a global audience in mind. All these developments reflect the positive feedback we have received regarding our event.”

Emphasizing that copyright agreements help protect works, Mehmet Burhan Genç added that this has led to an increased significance of local players in the publishing industry.

“We see Istanbul as a key hub in global publishing”

Dr. Muhammed Ağırakça, a member of the Istanbul Publishing Fellowship Coordination Committee, mentioned that this year’s event has taken place in a different atmosphere, with individuals from all over the world applying to participate.

Ağırakça emphasized that the event enables publishers who cannot meet at international fairs elsewhere to connect through the Istanbul Publishing Fellowship. He stated:
“Our event provides an important meeting opportunity for global publishers. Additionally, this year, we have seen significant interest from countries closely related to Turkish culture. In the past, the focus of copyright acquisition was the West, but now the East is searching for new centers and routes. We see Istanbul as a key hub in global publishing.”

Ağırakça also noted that in addition to B2B copyright meetings, various other activities will be held during the program:
“Tomorrow, we will hold a seminar focusing on China. China is actively expanding its global presence and views Turkey as a strategic gateway. In recent years, Turkey has been supplying significant products to China. We will analyze this emerging situation by examining the Chinese market.

Additionally, artificial intelligence is on our agenda. We will focus on the impact of AI on publishing. Istanbul is a city of history and culture. In this context, we plan to organize a tour to help our publishers get to know Istanbul better and facilitate networking among them.”

Aiming to Make Istanbul a Copyright Marketplace

The International Istanbul Publishing Fellowship aims to strengthen global cooperation among publishers, position Istanbul as a copyright marketplace, and closely follow sectoral developments.

The program, which facilitates interactions among numerous national and international publishers, has been held in a hybrid format since 2021, allowing participants to engage in both physical and online one-on-one meetings.

“Media Match” to Bring Publishers and Digital Platforms Together for the First Time

For the first time this year, the program includes the “Media Match” event, which will allow representatives from digital platforms that can synchronize with the publishing sector to hold one-on-one meetings with publishers.

The event aims to bring together production companies and screenwriters interested in creating content based on written works, as well as firms specializing in e-books and audiobooks, with publishers to facilitate discussions and collaborations.

Each year, a specific country is selected as the “focus country,” offering a platform to showcase its publishing industry to the world. Seminars and events are organized to explore key issues in that country’s publishing sector, reader trends, and other relevant topics.

Participants from the focus country also receive a special introduction to Turkey’s publishing industry to help them become familiar with the dynamics of the sector. This year, China has been selected as the focus country.

As part of the project, the “Istanbul Copyright Awards” will be presented at a Gala Dinner held at Sultan Cistern in Fatih this evening.