Many of us are currently living in isolation, but let me assure you, you are not alone. We belong to this great international publishers’ family. We are in this together, together also with our authors, with the booksellers, and together we will come out of this.

The role of publishers today is more important than ever. We help educate our children, we provide entertaining stories and curated scientific information. Through the books our authors write and that we publish, we bring to the readers knowledge, entertainment, solace, the possibility to travel to distant places or in other times, the possibility to dream.

IPA will continue to represent and defend publishers’ interests around the world. We will continue to convince policy makers of the importance of copyright as an enabler of creativity and innovation, while at the same time fighting for our freedom to publish whatever we think appropriate. IPA is also making an appeal to national and regional governments to ensure all those in the publishing value chain are supported.

During these particularly challenging times you may need more from us. We are here for you. But we also need you. We need your engagement and your active participation to ensure that we support our international industry in the best way possible.

Publishers have shown themselves to be resilient and innovative in responding to change. On our website you will find encouraging stories about how publishers around the world are contributing to society in this difficult time. I invite you to read it.

We are together in this and together, I have no doubt, we will overcome this crisis.

Thank you very much