Applications are now being accepted for the International Istanbul Publishing Fellowship Program, which brings together foreign publishers in Istanbul every year for copyright and translation negotiations.

The seventh edition of the program will take place March 8-10, 2022.

The program is organized by the Turkish Press and Publishers Copyright and Licencing Society with the support of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and contributions by the Turkish Ministry of Commerce, Istanbul Governorate, Istanbul Chamber of Commerce and Press and Publishers Association. Due to continuing concerns posed by COVID-19, the program will be run on a hybrid basis where the participants will have a chance to hold talks online and face-to-face.

The International Istanbul Publishing Fellowship program attracts professionals and experts from Turkey and abroad who represent the public and private sectors as well as nongovernmental organizations. The program has seen a steady rise in the number of participants since the first year. 650 participants from 120 countries attended the program in the last two years. In March 2022, more than 500 participants from 120 countries are expected to attend.

The cooperation agreements signed during the program facilitate new commercial relations in the sector. The "Istanbul Copyright Awards," which is organized as part of the program, encourage copyright sales from Turkish into other languages, thereby contributing to the development and promotion of the sector. This year, the awards will once again reward the achievements of foreign publishing houses.

Speaking on the occasion, Yusuf Ünal, Head of the Coordination Board for International Istanbul Publishing Fellowship said: "The Coordination Board received applications from 345 publishers from 60 countries for the Istanbul Fellowship Program last year. This year, we expect to receive more than 500 applications from 120 countries. We are also seeking to generate international interest in the program through the ‘Focus Country’ component. Publishers, poets and authors from the ‘Focus Country’ will be present during the event."

Interested publishers can submit their applications for the seventh Istanbul Publishing Fellowship Program, which is to be held on 8-10 March 2022, through www.fellowship.istanbul. The participants will be announced on Jan. 17, 2022, following the evaluation of the Istanbul Publishing Fellowship Coordination Board.