The Winners of the first-ever Publisher Excellence Awards were Revealed during the Bologna Children's Book Fair

Discover the winners of the inaugural PublisHer Excellence Awards at Bologna Children's Book Fair, celebrating women's impact in international publishing.

on Apr 12, 2024

The Winners of the first-ever Publisher Excellence Awards were Revealed during the Bologna Children's Book Fair | Frontlist

The winners of the inaugural PublisHer Excellence Awards, which recognize women who have positively impacted the international publishing industry, were unveiled during a spectacular ceremony during the 2024 Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy.

Before the announcement, PublisHer creator Bodour Al Qasimi addressed the award ceremony, congratulating the winners and runners-up and thanking the professional judges for their invaluable contributions, according to Emirates News Agency.

She stated, "The incredible work exhibited through the Awards is extremely heartwarming. It is a strong monument to the global impact that women are having in publishing.

To our winners, your contributions are making a lasting impact on this business, and your tales inspire us all. Thank you for your involvement and commitment in the PublisHer Excellence Awards, and please continue to shine brightly."

The jury that chose the winners from among the 113 applicants included leading female figures from the international publishing industry: Emma House, Director at Oreham Group, Arpita Das, Founder and Publisher at Yoda Press, Latoya West-Blackwood, Publishing and Communications Consultant, Caroline Fortin, President at Quebec Amerique International, and Trasvin Jittidecharak, Founder and Publisher of Silkworm Books.

Following six months of rigorous study, the jury selected the winners from among the nine shortlisted contenders, and it was announced in Bologna that Anne Friebel, Publishing Director of Palomaa Publishing, had received the PublisHer Excellence Award in the Innovation category. Anne founded "The Female Publisher" network, a free-to-join digital platform that links and supports female publishers, program managers, and decision-makers in the German-speaking publishing business, encouraging dialogue and exchange. Anne's commitment to amplification of female perspectives, industry best practices, and ways that solve publishing's fundamental difficulties is evident as co-host of the "Die Bücher unserer Zukunft" podcast (Books of Our Future).

Mitia Osman, CEO and Publisher of Mayurpankhi and Executive Director of Agamee Prakashani, was named the recipient of the Emerging Leader Award. She is the first woman to establish a children's publishing firm in Bangladesh, demonstrating dedication and leadership in the process. She is also noted for her lobbying efforts to increase gender diversity in publishing, both domestically and globally.

Finally, Shirley Yvonne Carby, Chairperson of Carlong Publishers Caribbean Ltd., was named the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of her active 45-year publishing career. Shirley, a publishing industry pioneer in Jamaica and the Caribbean, has consistently supported the training of authors and industry professionals, as well as the expansion of Caribbean societies' skills and knowledge, throughout her career, while also promoting literacy in her community.

The ceremony was part of a broad PublisHer program in Bologna that featured keynote speeches, daily panel discussions with prominent leaders in worldwide publishing, and networking coffees on the PublisHer booth every afternoon.

The PublisHer Excellence Awards highlight women who are making a difference in publishing and paving the way for others. They encourage female publishers to aim higher, help one another, and raise awareness of the ongoing issues that women confront in the publishing industry.