The International Alliance of independent publishers is a professional collective that brings together more than 750 independent publishing houses from 55 countries around the world. Created as an association in 2002, it is composed of 6 language networks (English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Persian) and thematic groups. Members of the Alliance are publishing houses and publisher collectives.
The Alliance's activities promote and strengthen bibliodiversity (cultural diversity applied to the world of the book).
In alignment with its mission, the Alliance created a Bibliodiversity Observatory that gathers studies, analysis, and measurement tools produced by the Alliance, aimed at professionals and public authorities. The Observatory's objectives include assessing and strengthening bibliodiversity in world.
The Alliance also hosts and facilitates international meetings and thematic workshops (for example on children's book publishing, digital publishing, etc.), enabling independent publishers from various continents to exchange ideas and initiate collaborations. These meetings support increasing capacity through peer sharing, an aspect developed in particular around the issue of digital publishing in the context of the Digital Lab. The Alliance supports international publishing projects (co-publishings, translations, copyright transfers, etc.), for a greater circulation of texts and fair access to books for readers.
A presentation of the Alliance by Clémence Hedde, member of the permanent team, in video !
Read the articles of the Alliance_in French
Key Dates of the Alliance
• Gijón meeting (Spain), 2000 (an initiative led by four Spanish-speaking publishers in reaction to the emergence of Spanish multinationals in Latin America)
• Creation of the Alliance project by a group of publishers and Etienne Galliand – who would become the first director of the association
• Paris meeting (France), 2001 (some few days away from the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity)
• Foundation of the "Alliance of Independent Publishers Association, for Another Globalisation", as per Law 1901 (head office in Paris) 2002
• Dakar meeting (Senegal), 2003 (Declaration of Solidarity amongst Independent Publishers)
• Guadalajara meeting (Mexico), 2005 (Declaration of independent publishers of the Latin world)
• International Assembly of Independent Publishers in Paris (France), 2007 (International Declaration of Independent Publishers to promote and strenghten bibliodiversity together)
• Name change of the association to International Alliance of independent publishers, 2008
• Creation of the International Committee of Independent Publishers (ICIP), 2009
• International Assembly of independent publishers – preparatory meetings and closing meeting in Cape Town (South Africa), 2012-2014 (International Declaration of independent publishers, to promote and strengthen bibliodiversity together, and 80 recommendations and tools in support of bibliodiversity)
• Creation of the Bibliodiversity Observatory, 2016
• Mapping public book policies in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, 2020
• International Conference of Independent publishers 2019-2021
For a decolonial, ecological, feminist, free, social and solidarity-based independent publishing : preliminary conclusions of the Pamplona-Iruñea Conference and perspectives !
Illustrations and video : Mariette Robbes (https://marietterobbes.fr/)
6 round-table discussions and 3 collective workshops in 4 languages of communication ; B2B meetings ; closing speeches by Vandana Shiva and Djaïli Amadou Amal...
The photos and press review of the Conference can already be found here !
The Alliance would like to thank once again all the partners of the Conference (see here) and especially the association EDITARGI, co-organiser of this unique meeting !
Follow the International Conference of Independent Publishers in Pamplona (23-26 November, 2021) on Babelica, the Alliance's virtual space
International Conference of Independent Publishers, round tables and workshops : the international independent publishing online on Babelica !
All information about the Pamplona Conference is available on Babelica in English, French, Spanish and Basque.
A literary and multilingual sound card : Happy B-Day and happy 20th birthday to the Alliance !
On 21 September, we are celebrating bibliodiversity and also the 20th birthday of the Alliance !
The publishers are offering you a literary world tour in more than 30 countries : 45 readings in 25 languages to listen to and watch here !
A big thank you to all of you for this gift ; thanks also to Naima Éditions for making this map.
Auteur(s) : Vandana Shiva ; Kartikey Shiva ; Rodolfo Lastra Muela (trad.)
Pays de parution : Argentine, Bolivie, Chili, Colombie
En Amérique latine, Unidad versus el 1% est coédité simultanément par Econautas Editorial (Argentine), LOM ediciones (Chili), Editorial Mate (Argentine), Plural Editores (Bolivie) et Taller de Edición Rocca (Colombie).
Pour la traduction © Editorial Popular, S. A., Madrid, 2019.
La version originale de ce livre a été publiée en 2018 sous le titre Oneness vs. the 1% par Women Unlimited en Inde (en coédition avec Spinifex en Australie et New Internationalist au Royaume-Uni).
Retrouvez ici l'interview de Vandana Shiva à l'occasion du lancement de la coédition latino-américaine du livre, le 19 juin 2021.
ISBN Argentine (Econautas Editorial) : 978-987-46301-9-3
ISBN Chili (LOM ediciones) : 978-956-00-1379-8
ISBN Argentine (Editorial Mate) : 978-987-9199-29-x
We wish you a great discovery !
More than 30 independent publishing houses from 7 countries (Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Syria and Tunisia) and 9 languages offer you an immersion in the literature, humanities and children's literature of the Arab world !
Discover the HotList Arab world here !
The Arabic Language Network expresses its strong condemnation of the forced deportation campaign of Palestinians from the « Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood » in East Jerusalem, May 11, 2021
The Arabic Language Network of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers expresses its strong condemnation of the forced deportation campaign of Palestinians from the « Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood » in East Jerusalem, and the systematic violence and persecution led by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu against Jerusalemites in particular and the Palestinians in general in restoring the « apartheid » policies that the world seeks to overcome.
To find out more about the participants, practical information and to follow the Conference online, go to Babelica, the Alliance's virtual space !
Consult the program below and register now !
Bibliodiversity ambassadors !
Bibliodiversity ambassadors are public figures who have agreed to amplify the voices of independent publishers, to accompany the reflections and practices of publishers, to defend and support bibliodiversity. The personalities solicited will be revealed in the coming weeks !
Independent publishers portraits around the world
Discover publishers' backgrounds, get to know their work and their publications, and listen to the voice of independent publishers… by reading the exclusive publishers portraits in this section !
In partnership with the online magazine ActuaLitté, interviews with publishers member of the Alliance are regularly added here. Explore the interviews :
* Élodie Comtois (Écosociété publishers in Québec),
* Samar Haddad (Atlas Publishing in Syria),
* Marie Michèle Razafintsalama (Jeunes malgaches in Madagascar),
* Constanza Brunet (Marea Editorial in Argentina),
* Antoinette Koleva (KX Critique & Humanism in Bulgaria),
* Karine Joseph (Sirocco in Morocco),
* Colleen Higgs (Modjaji Books in South Africa),
* François Nkémé (Proximité in Cameroon),
* Aliou Sow (Ganndal, Guinea Conakry),
* Ritu Menon (Women Unlimited in India).
* Ivana Jinkings (Boitempo in Brazil),
* Sophie Bazin and Johary Ravaloson (Dodo vole in Madagascar),
* Dorota Hartwich (Format in Poland),
* Amanda Crocker (Between the Lines, Canada),
* Dieulermesson Petit Frère (LEGS Édition, Haiti),
* Corinne Fleury (Atelier des nomades, Mauritius),
* Abdulai Sila (Ku Si Mon, Guinea Bissau),
* Susan Hawthorne (Spinifex Press, Australia),
* Dan Bomboko (Elondja, Democratic Republic of Congo).
After studying at the IUT Book Trade in Aix-en-Provence, Laurence Hugues went to earn a bachelor's degree in Literature at Trois-Rivières University in Québec, and later a Masters' degree in Book Marketing at Paris 13-Villetaneuse University. After several professionals stays in West Africa, she joined the International Alliance of independent publishers' team in 2007. In July 2009, Etienne GALLIAND passed on management responsabilities to Laurence HUGUES.
After a master's degree in French Literature at the Sorbonne Nouvelle, Camille CLOAREC worked at the Maison de la Poésie in Nantes and was also the coordinator of literary life at Ciclic (the center of book, cinema and digital culture for the Loire Valley Region), before being in-charge of the book and debates office at the French Embassy in Canada. In 2019, Camille began learning Telugu (Indian language) at Inalco.
Camille joins the Alliance team in July 2020 ; she is in charge of the management of the French-language network and the co-publishing and translation projects within the Alliance.
Mariam PELLICER is a graduate from Sciences Politiques in Toulouse (specialising on the fight against discrimination and the struggle for equality), after an academic exchange at the University in Chile, stuying among other things, sociology of gender. Mariam's early professional experiences were with the International Alliance of Women in Athens and then with the Fondation des Femmes in Paris.
Since joining the Alliance in January 2020, Mariam is in charge of facilitating the Alliance's Spanish and Portuguese-language networks, coordinating the Bibliodiversity Observatory and the Alliance's advocacy pole.
Laura AUFRERE, president
After studying political sciences, Laura Aufrère was for 5 years coordinator of the French confederation gathering not-for-profit cultural professional initiatives from a variety of disciplines (music, theater, outdoor and circus, visual arts, etc.), rooted in the solidarity economy movement (UFISC). She is now a PHD student in management, looking specifically into critical approaches in the organisation theory and the digital humanities fields. She studies commons and social and solidarity economy initiatives, focusing specifically on work and labour organisation, cooperation and governance issues, and social protection. She joins the Alliance Board in 2016 and is now its President.
Luc PINHAS, vice-president
Vice-President of the Board of the Alliance since the General Assembly of June 20, 2011, Luc Pinhas is a former student of the École normale supérieure in Saint-Cloud. He holds a PhD in Communication Studies and teaches at Paris 13-Villetaneuse University, where he is currently in charge of a master's degree on "Book Marketing".
Thierry QUINQUETON, vice-president
Thierry Quinqueton has long experience in the publishing world and of intercultural dialogue. He was Literary Director at the Desclée de Brouwer publishing house (France) from 1991 to 1999, and then Director of the French Cultural Center in Khartoum from 2000 to 2004. After spending four years at the French Department of Foreign Affairs (department of written documents and libraries), he was responsible from May 2009 to July 2013 for the libraries network in the Châtellerault area ; from 2013 to 2017, he was in charge of the Book Office at the French Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. Thierry Quinqueton also pursues his research on the links between market economies, public policies, and non-monetary aspects within the book economy (Law and Development of Social and Solidarity Economy - University of Poitiers). Author of « Que ferait Saul Alinsky ? » (DDB, 2011), he was Chairman of the International Alliance of Independent Publishers from 2006 to 2013.
Mariette ROBBES, member of the Board
Mariette Robbes is specialized in network facilitation, public relations and project management in the associative and cultural sectors. She has worked at Katha publishing (India), at the International Association of Francophone Booksellers and the International Youth Library (Germany).
Her growing passion for "third places" and innovative ways of working and creating (fablabs, coworking, shared workshops, etc.) led her to explore new horizons. She is now working as a Network Development & Animation Manager at myCowork, in Paris.
Passionate about publishing for youth in India, she is also an associate member of the academic project DELI (Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Literatures of India). In addition, Mariette works as a freelancer (support for fundraising, graphic design and layout).
Jérôme CHEVRIER, member of the Board
Jérôme Chevrier has been working for 20 years in the book and reading sector. As a librarian, he has worked at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Ministry of Culture, the Centre national du livre and the French Institute of South Africa. He is currently in charge of cultural mediation at the Bibliothèque publique d'information du Centre Pompidou. He joined the Alliance Board in July 2021.
Georges LORY, member of the Board
Georges Lory was cultural advisor in South Africa from 1990 to 1994, and participated to the country's democratic transition. Between 1998 and 2008, as Director of International Affairs of Radio France Internationale, he increased the number of its FM relays in the world from 76 to 169. From 2009 to 2013, he led the general delegation of the Alliance Française in Southern Africa.
He has written three volumes of poetry (including one in Afrikaans), edited a book published by Autrement on South Africa, translated poets including Breyten Breytenbach, Antjie Krog and Lebo Mashile, novels and short stories by Nadine Gordimer, 1991 Nobel Laureate, texts by JM Coetzee, André Brink and Kopano Matlwa, as well as the Dutch writer Adriaan van Dis. He is the author of four books, mainly on South Africa.