Gathered to sign and announce their new partnership for the 2026 International Publishers Congress with a new partnership are, from left, Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor, MABOPA president; BCBF director Elena Pasoli; José Borghino, IPA general-secretary; Simon de Jocas, PWB co-founder; and Gvantsa Jobava, IPA president. Image: BCBF
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
‘To Intercept and Respond to the Needs of Publishers’
In a surprise development at this week’s intensely programmed Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the fair and the Malaysian Book Publishers Association have announced an unprecedented partnership for the International Publishers Association‘ (IPA) International Publishers Congress set for June of 2026 in Kuala Lumpur.
Having become a patron member in 2024 of the Geneva-based IPA—the world’s largest federation of national, regional, and specialized publishers’ associations—Bologna Children’s Book Fair joined with IPA and Malaysian association members to announce the news.
The collaboration sees Bologna Children’s Book Fair, Bologna Book Plus, and the Malaysian Book Publishers Assodiation come together in an agreement to focus and specify international cooperation and the exchange of knowledge, and to bolster their commitment to the world publishing industry.
The announcement was made at the Bologna Book Plus Theater during the launch event for the congress and was attended by Gvantsa Jobava, IPA president; José Borghino, IPA secretary-general; and Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor, president of the Malaysian association, which is referred to as MABOPA.
The Bologna trade fair’s admission to the IPA was an important acknowledgement of the work that Bologna has been doing for more than 60 years, serving the international community of children’s publishing and, for the last five years, with Bologna Book Plus, for the sector of generalist publishing.
Thanks to the agreement with the Malaysian Book Publishers Association, Bologna’s active and constructive participation in the organization of the next IPC congress in Kuala Lumpur marks a significant step in support of the fair’s mission: to intercept and respond to the needs of publishers from all over the world, contributing to the debate on the challenges that the publishing industry is facing during the current complex moment in history, societies, and politics.
On the same occasion, MABOPA and Publishers without Borders (PWB), represented by co-founder Simon de Jocas, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, and Mingzhou Zhou was announced as the 2026 congress’ first ambassador.
More from Publishing Perspectives on the International Publishers Association is here; more on IPA’s International Publishers Congress program is here, more on Bologna Children’s Book Fair is here; and more on the Malaysian book industry is here.
Publishing Perspectives is the International Publishers Association’s world media partner.