A New Partnership Between the UAE Media Council and Ajyaal Under the "First Edition" Initiative to Empower Emirati Authors

In a time where progress is measured by the content we create and the knowledge we build, the Bridge Media Summit 2025 opens a new chapter for the publishing industry in the UAE.

During the summit, the UAE Media Council announced five strategic partnerships; but the value goes beyond numbers. At Ajyaal, we see this as the beginning of a new era; one shaped by local creators and driven by a more mature and expansive vision for publishing in the region.

We do not merely celebrate signatures on paper, we celebrate the idea behind them: the creation of a unified ecosystem that supports Emirati content, walking with it from concept to reader. These partnerships are not symbolic; they are serious steps to bridge the gap between individual creativity and institutional infrastructure, between a writer in their quiet corner and the global stage.

Publishing is Not a Luxury—It’s a National Imperative

While some may have once seen publishing as a cultural accessory or intellectual luxury, today’s reality says otherwise. Publishing is now a sovereign tool: a vital component of any nation that seeks to project its knowledge and culture beyond its borders.

These five partnerships mean a lot: the development of local content, the empowerment of Emirati talent, the stimulation of literary production, and the expansion of translation and rights exchange.

At Ajyaal, we fully recognize how such initiatives directly impact the landscape of children’s and young adult literature: a field still finding its rhythm in a fast-changing environment. But we believe its growth starts with supporting publishers, fostering a climate that rewards quality, and opening doors for new authors to tell their stories in their own language, accent, and lived experiences.

Between Publishing and Technology… The Distance Is Shrinking

One session during the summit explored the future of digital publishing and distribution. At that moment, we at Ajyaalfelt a shift, from distant ambition to near-future possibility.

Books today don’t live only on library shelves. They live in apps, in audio, in podcasts, and on every screen a child holds. The industry must move from resistance to adaptation, and from adaptation to innovation. These partnerships are beyond financial and technical support, they are a collective vote of confidence in the future of the Emirati book.

Our Responsibility: To Keep Building

Publishing is not the responsibility of one party. It is the work of an entire community: from writer, to reader, to school, to tech, to policy. And Ajyaal sees itself as part of this larger ecosystem. We don’t have the luxury to stand on the sidelines. We write, we publish, we produce, and we act because we believe that a child reading a story written by someone from their own country is a child who understands themselves more deeply, trusts their voice more fully, and builds their world more confidently.

In Closing…

Every partnership signed today is a seed. But the real question is: who will nurture it? Who will have the patience to see it grow?

At Ajyaal, we don’t promise quick harvests, but we do promise to be among the first to plant.

Because publishing is much more than about books that are printed, it’s about stories that are lived.