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JOIN US for the launch of the UNESCO Report on the Book Industry in Africa: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for Growth
As part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, and in the margins of the Tenth Session of its Conference of Parties, UNESCO is hosting a high-level event to launch its new report: The Book Industry in Africa: Trends, Challenges and Growth Opportunities.
Date: 18 June 2025
Time: 6:15 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Headquarters in Paris (France) – Room I
This new publication is the first-ever comprehensive mapping of the book and publishing sector across the 54 States in Africa that are members of UNESCO. It follows UNESCO’s series of flagship reports on Africa’s cultural and creative industries — including the (2021) and the (2023) — and provides an evidence-based overview of the structural trends, key challenges, and a roadmap to unlock the book sector’s full potential.
In line with UNESCO Global Priority for Africa, the event will bring together African authors and publishers to exchange insights and highlight homegrown success stories. The programme will include two panel discussions, moderated by Senegalese journalist Fatimata Wane:
Contemporary African literature, with award-winning authors such as Leïla Bahsain (Morocco), Hemley Boum (Cameroon), Anthony Mochama (Kenya), and Sami Tchak (Togo);
Publishing ecosystems in Africa, with renowned publishers Emad Eldeen Elakehal (Egypt), Souleymane Gueye (Senegal), Lola Shoneyin (Nigeria), and Elitha van der Sandt (South Africa), the lead co-author of the report.
Simultaneous interpretation will be available in English and French.
The event is open to the public, with prior registration required.
