The second English edition of the novel (Shamaous) by the Egyptian novelist Ashraf Aboul-Yazid was published in Dusseldorf, Germany. The African branch of the UN SDG Book Club chose this novel among the books that Canon printed during the DRUPA 2024 Integrated Printing Exhibition.

The organizers of this African literary initiative are the African Publishers Network (APNET), Border Literature for All Nations, Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), the African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA), the African Booksellers Association (PABA) and the United Nations Information Centre, Namibia.

Mr. Olatun Gabi Williams, founder of Border Literature for All Nations and Publicity Officer of the United Nations Book Club, sent a letter of appreciation to authors and publishers Ashraf Abu El-Yazid, Carrie Ware, Thabiso Mahlabi, Agatha Akonnor Mills, Chigozie, Anole Mbaduga, Elvis Clay and Professor Ijara Kabaji on providing these books for publication under the initiative.

The Egyptian writer’s novel, The Road to Shamawes, which was first published in Arabic (2007) by Dar Al-Ain in Cairo, was translated into Korean and published in Seoul (2008), and was one of the reasons for its author’s nomination to win the prestigious Korean Manhae Grand Prize for Literature (2014). Its first edition in English was published by Dar Al-Nasher in Cairo this year (2024).

The new English edition of the novel was published at DRUPA, Europe’s leading event for professional printing technologies, DRUPA 2024 (Düsseldorf, Germany, 28 May – 7 June 2024), under the theme “Mobility”, during which Canon highlighted key partnerships and initiatives to drive positive change and create experiences that enrich lives and businesses. In line with its philosophy of living and working together for the common good, Canon is partnering with a number of companies and charities and has donated 20,000 copies, 1,500 copies per book, to be printed at the exhibition. “Images, literature and music all enrich lives, and we believe these creative experiences should be accessible to everyone,” says Jennifer Koloczyk, Senior Director, Marketing & Innovation, Canon EMEA. “Our company has a range of initiatives that aim to achieve this ambition, and we were proud to showcase and raise awareness of them at our stand as examples of our company philosophy of living and working together for the common good. Through a range of partnerships, we are working to inspire positive change for the wider print industry and beyond.”