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Hamilton Spectator
13-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Swim Club Dispute Spurs Questions About Fairness, Procurement, and Youth Sport Priorities in Burlington
On July 7, Burlington City Council held its monthly Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss various items relevant to the city and its residents. Several delegates from both the Burlington Aquatic Devil Rays (BAD) and the Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club (GHAC), both competitive swim clubs, spoke to council about the ongoing dispute between the two organizations about the Request for Proposal (RFP) process that was used to bid for swim time at City of Burlington pools. The successful RFP bid would get 2000 swim hours for their club members. BAD's RFP was never evaluated by staff due to missing documentation, and a contract was instead awarded to GHAC. Both BAD and GHAC are not-for-profit organizations, per the requirements for the RFP process. Dr. Katie Lebel, a sports business professor at the University of Guelph's Lang School of Business and Economics, former competitive swimmer, BAD vice president, and parent of a child who competes with BAD, delegated to council first. 'I've delivered talks around the world on the power of sport, but I'm not sure I've ever spoken with more at stake than I do today,' Lebel said. 'What's at risk isn't just pool time. It's community, continuity, and the systems we count on to support our children and protect what matters in civic life.' Lebel said that while the club did file for a judicial review after their proposal was rejected without evaluation, they have paused that process because they believe a 'collaborative solution' is still possible. 'We're not asking for special treatment,' Lebel said. 'We're here to advocate for fairness, for transparency, and for a shared use model that reflects Burlington's values.' Lebel said that the club serves over 400 swimmers from Burlington and its surrounding areas and has helped to fund diving blocks and timekeeping equipment at Nelson and Centennial pools. She also said BAD has raised money for the Terry Fox Foundation, the Burlington Food Bank, and the Compassion Society. Lebel elaborated on why BAD's proposal was rejected. 'That legacy and everything we've built was destabilized by a process that disqualified our proposal over a document that doesn't exist in the form requested,' Lebel said. 'The language in the RFP asked for a current and valid Certificate of Incorporation, a document that, in Ontario, is not reissued after initial incorporation.' 'What's typically used to verify legal status is a Certificate of Status or a Corporation Profile Report from Service Ontario,' Lebel continued. 'This technical ambiguity in language had real consequences. Our proposal was rejected outright without review. The result was not a level playing field. It's a signal that the process, while well-intentioned, may not be aligned with the realities of youth sport.' Lebel claimed that BAD 'met every substantive expectation laid out in the RFP' and 'has an impeccable track record as a responsible facility partner.' 'We were disqualified because these strengths could not even be considered or evaluated,' Lebel said. Lebel questioned whether or not the RFP model was appropriate for evaluating youth sport delivery. 'It is not designed to capture the depth of community relationships, the values of consistency for youth, or the contribution of legacy volunteer-run organizations,' she said. Cody Bradt, the chief operating officer and associate head coach of GHAC, also delegated to council and explained why the city initially adopted the RFP model in 2020. '[It was] based on growing public need,' Bradt said. 'According to the city, the overall demand for pool time has increased over the past four years, surpassing the city's ability to meet all needs. There were over 600 people on the swim lesson waitlist in 2019 alone. Managing multiple user interests, needs, and expectations while attempting to maintain broad community access became exceedingly difficult. To meet that challenge, the city committed to rebalancing the mix of programming to ensure that the interests and needs of the broader community are met first, while still ensuring support for youth and master's competitive swimming.' Bradt defended the RFP process and stressed the need for decisions to be made by non-political actors. 'The RFP process was not only justified, it was essential,' Bradt said. 'It was governed by clear and ethical standards as stated by Mayor Meed Ward on her website in 2020 when the initial competitive swimming youth RFP process launched. Purchasing decisions are best made on value for service, not political influence. It's imperative that the process be administered by staff and continue to be fair and impartial in manner. The city's procurement bylaw prohibits elected officials from engaging with or influencing the bid process.' Lebel said that, to her knowledge, competitive swimming is the only youth stream in Burlington currently operating under an RFP process. 'That fact alone suggests we should stop and consider,' Lebel said. Lebel said that since their proposal was rejected, there have been significant disruptions in the club, including many swimmers leaving for other organizations, and swimmers feeling uncertain about their future in the sport. 'This kind of disruption doesn't just cause uncertainty, it risks pushing families out of our sport altogether,' Lebel said. 'Some are now exploring new clubs in different cities, adding cost, travel, and logistical strain, especially for working families.' Volunteer staff are demoralized and coaches are 'stuck in limbo,' she continued. Bradt provided a more optimistic outlook on the situation. 'The reality is that the youth of Burlington are not losing their place to swim,' Bradt said. 'They're gaining a new opportunity to continue their development with a different organization if they so choose.' Lebel spoke about what she called a 'broader shift in how sport is being delivered across Canada.' 'Our club reflects a community model,' Lebel said. 'Affordable, team-based, volunteer-run, and grounded in long-term athlete development. In contrast, we're seeing the rise of market-based models and regional fee-for-service programs that function more like private providers than community-rooted teams.' 'This isn't just about two swim teams,' Lebel continued. 'It's about two different visions for youth sport. One prioritizes access, development, and community. The other prioritizes flexibility, expansion, and the ability to scale, at a significantly higher cost to families.' Lebel said that while she believes that there is room for both organizations to exist in the city, she said that 'giving public pool time to a fee-for-service provider should never come at the expense of a long-standing, community-based club that's served Burlington for more than 40 years.' 'That's not innovation, that's displacement,' Lebel said. She also warned that this situation may set a precedent for other Burlington organizations, such as Student Theatre and Teen Tour Band, to be excluded as well. Bradt offered GHAC's side of the story. 'The Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club negotiated the contract in good faith with the understanding that the City of Burlington was also acting in good faith throughout the process,' Bradt said. 'We trusted the integrity of the city's procurement framework, and we continue to uphold our end of the agreement with the same level of professionalism, transparency, and commitment we bring to all of our partners.' Bradt said that in February of this year, GHAC reached out to BAD to request a meeting to discuss jointly approaching the city to return to a shared-pool use model, which had been in place prior to 2020. 'This conversation included their head coach, their president, and their past president,' Bradt said. 'However, the offer for the meeting was declined by their head coach. We respected that decision and informed them that, in light of that, we would be submitting a proposal, just as we did in 2020.' Bradt said that if the city and council were to intervene in the RFP process, GHAC would still be open to having that conversation. BAD has started a petition to reinstate their pool access, which has received over 2000 signatures. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward asked Lebel if she had any advice for the city on crafting a different process to allocate pool time. Lebel suggested a rental agreement, which is how the city allocated pool time and other resources prior to 2020. '[With the RFP], there's no weighting for community legacy, and I don't think that it's able to capture the difference between the community model and the market-based model that we're starting to see show up,' Lebel said. The club is willing to work with staff and other organizations that want pool time to sort the issue out for the 400 swimmers currently in BAD's program. However, Lebel noted that if the process goes through as it stands, she is not sure the club will be able to continue to exist. Kimberly Calderbank, BAD president, also delegated on behalf of the club and further elaborated on the RFP process. 'The city RFP was clear,' Calderbank said. 'This contract should prioritize Burlington families. It asked applicants to demonstrate how they would deliver high-quality programming for our Burlington youth. Our club is already doing exactly that. We serve more than 320 Burlington swimmers across our competitive and pre-competitive programs. There are no projections. These are the kids who live here, who go to school here, and who have built a community here.' Calderbank said that GHAC is not Burlington-based and is listed as a Dundas club operating in the Hamilton region according to Ontario's not-for-profit registry and Swim Ontario. Bradt addressed this claim in his delegation. 'First and foremost, the Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club is not a Hamilton club,' Bradt said. 'We are proud to serve swimmers from across the entire Golden Horseshoe, including Burlington, Hamilton, Dundas, and Stoney Creek, and we've been a part of those communities for over 20 years.' Bradt also addressed the criticism around the fact that only 28% of GHAC's members reside in Burlington, as reported by Swim Ontario. 'This number reflects home addresses across our full membership,' Bradt said. 'It does not reflect where swimmers train. Over 85% of swimmers training at our Burlington practice locations and private facilities are Burlington residents, and that figure has remained consistent.' Calderbank also claimed that GHAC has not followed Swim Ontario's standard process for regional expansion. Accordingly to Calderbank, BAD met with city staff before the meeting to discuss the situation. BAD is currently asking the city for 40 hours of pool time per month so that they can continue to hold their swim meets, which Calderbank calls a 'financial lifeline' for the club. 'With less than 40 hours, we'll be forced to cut full training groups, turn away families, and potentially lose coaches who rely on consistent scheduling to sustain their livelihoods,' Calderbank said. 'This threatens the viability of our club.' BAD also wants the city to conduct a formal review of the RFP process with regard to how it is used to allocate youth sport resources. Calderbank said that the RFP process resulted in 50 hours per month for GHAC and zero for BAD. Calderbank also said that BAD is losing swimmers every day to other clubs as a result of this decision. She said that any less than 50 hours means BAD will have to secure private pool time, and that they have been looking at those contingency plans. Bradt also said that the city is not the only provider of pools. 'Alternative arrangements can be made by organizations to access pool time in non-city pools if they so choose. Also, swimmers will have the opportunity to join the chosen organization or continue to follow their organization to their alternate location if they so choose.' Calderbank said that non-city pool time is hard to come by. 'There are not a lot of private pools here in Burlington,' Calderbank said. 'There is not a lot of accessible pool time for us. So we went right down to looking at condos and apartments. We're desperate to pull this together. It just doesn't exist here in the City of Burlington.' Calderbank said that without their facilities, BAD would no longer be viable as a club, whereas GHAC will 'just become a bigger club with more pools to practice in.' Bradt said that in 2020, they were on the losing end of the RFP process. '[In 2020] we submitted a proposal and narrowly missed being selected,' Bradt said. 'We respected the outcome and requested a formal debrief and used that feedback to improve our organization. Although we lost nearly 150 Burlington members that season, we remained committed to our mission and continued to provide high-quality programming outside of city-owned pools.' 'It's also important to clarify that the incumbent organization did not lose their pool time,' Bradt continued. 'They completed their contract term. The 2020 agreement was for three years with two possible one-year extensions, and it ran its full course.' Calderbank said that after their proposal was rejected in the RFP process, BAD requested a review, and the city created a committee to do so. Many of the committee members were from departments of the city not related to youth sport, including those involved in parks and roads, as well as engineers, Calderbank noted. In the closing of his delegation, Bradt further defended the RFP process and questioned whether or not the merits of why it was adopted in 2020 have changed. 'The city's rationale for launching the RFP in 2020 remains valid today, if not more urgent, as there has not been a new pool built in the city yet,' Bradt said. 'The population continues to grow. Yet here we are, facing public pressure not because the process was flawed, but because the unsuccessful bidder was simply louder this time. Has the standard shifted from the merit of the proposal to the volume of its protest?' Bradt said that GHAC will not 'engage in tearing down other organizations,' and will instead 'focus on facts, solutions, and a commitment to putting the youth of Burlington first within the competitive use swimming contract.' Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte asked Bradt if he would agree that GHAC has benefited from an error in the administrative process. Stolte said that if both proposals had been evaluated, this situation probably would have been avoided. Bradt said that procurement is there to 'protect the city, its taxpayers and its constituents,' and indicated that the city can't simply overlook administrative errors. July 10 saw a Special Meeting of Council that went into closed session on the potential litigation for aquatics procurement. Bradt delegated to council again and presented supplementary material that included a host of letters from GHAC swimmers' parents, many from Burlington, testifying to GHAC's strengths. Questions from councillors focused on the possibility of shared swim space, which Bradt was open to discussing further. After the closed session, Meed Ward reported that council had 'discussed and provided direction to staff on the confidential verbal update regarding aquatics procurement ADM-09-25,' and that council would update the community as soon as they had more information. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
12-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Burlington councillors hold closed-door meetings to discuss how pool time awarded for competitive youth swim clubs
Burlington city council is discussing with city staff how pool time is allotted to competitive youth swimming clubs. Councillors discussed the issue, and potential related litigation, during two in camera meetings this week, with closed sessions held on July 7 and 10. It was only afterwards, on both occasions, that it was stated council had provided instructions to staff. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said Thursday morning when there is an update for the public, the city will share it. The Burlington Aquatic Devilrays (BAD) group has paused its request for a judicial review of city staff's award of the new youth competitive swimming contract to Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club (GHAC), and requested the city provide a minimum of 40 hours a month to allow BAD to continue operating when its current contract ends this fall. BAD won the first request for proposals (RFP) process over GHAC in 2020. The two clubs were the only bidders this year for a new contract. Both clubs gave presentations to council on July 7, and GHAC delegated again before Thursday's special council meeting. Between meetings, Cody Bradt, GHAC associate head coach and chief operating officer, told the Burlington Post that when the club lost its bid in 2020, they 'were not provided any access to city-operated pool time, which was granted exclusively to the successful proponent (BAD) at that time.' Bradt said if council were to alter the results of this year's procurement process due to political pressure, it would be 'precedent-setting.' 'Such a move would raise serious questions about fairness and the integrity of municipal procurement, especially considering the impact on GHAC and other organizations stemming from the city's initial decision to pursue an exclusive-use RFP model in 2020,' Bradt said. He said while the two clubs coexisted prior to 2020, GHAC lost Burlington members after it lost time in municipal pools, despite finding some time in privately-operated pools in the city. In his July 10 delegation to council, Bradt said there is a critical shortage of 'aquatic infrastructure' in Burlington, suggesting the city needs a new 50-metre, 10-lane pool to support competitive training and swim meets. 'That needs to be part of the broader conversation,' Bradt said. BAD representatives said their submission for the September 2025 to August 2028 contract was not reviewed by staff and that the bid was disqualified on a technicality regarding the type of document submitted to validate the club's non-profit incorporation status. Katie Lebel, the parent of a BAD swimmer and assistant professor of sports business at University of Guelph, told council 'a better way forward is possible' and stated the RFP process 'is fundamentally not aligned with community sport delivery.' BAD president Kimberly Calderbank said the club would fold without access to city pools. Calderbank also asked councillors to call for a formal review on the use of RFP bidding for allocating sports time in city facilities. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
03-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Disqualified': Burlington competitive swim club to seek judicial review after losing city contract
The City of Burlington's process for selecting a provider for competitive youth swimming programs is facing renewed scrutiny after the Burlington Aquatic Devilrays swim club lost its bid to continue offering the program. The city introduced a new process in 2020 to choose single providers for youth and adult competitive swimming programs, aiming to free up pool time for high-demand swimming lessons and recreational swimming. The Burlington Aquatic Devilrays (BAD) swim club had secured the initial three-year contract for youth competitive swimming in 2020, which was later extended for two years until Aug. 31, 2025. BAD now plans to seek a judicial review of the city staff's decision to award the contract for the upcoming term (Sept. 1, 2025, to Aug. 31, 2028) to another club. The 40-year-old organization said its bid was rejected on what it calls a technicality over documents that had to be submitted to prove its non-profit status. The group said it submitted an incorporation 'status certificate' instead of a 'current and valid certificate of incorporation as a non-profit or not-for-profit organization' requested in the request for proposals. In a statement, BAD said the status certificate is the 'correct and current legal document for confirming an organization's corporate standing.' But the city deemed it non-compliant because it wasn't labelled as a certificate of incorporation. In a news release issued Monday, June 30, the city stated BAD's bid 'was disqualified because it was missing some of the required information — in particular, a certificate of incorporation as a non-profit or not-for-profit organization.' According to the city, its staff are not allowed to overlook missing mandatory requirements or allow submissions after the RFP closing date. 'We understand this outcome is disappointing for BAD and its members. BAD submitted a formal request for review, and that process confirmed the decision was made according to our policies and procedures,' city staff stated. A petition calling on the city to reconsider its decision and award pool time to BAD had more than 1,900 signatures as of July 2. Kimberly Calderbank, president of BAD, said the club was awarded the first three-year contract to provide competitive swimming for youth in Burlington in 2020 and received a two-year extension until Aug. 31, 2025. 'There must be something more to this,' Calderbank stated in an email. 'We haven't figured out what's going on behind the scenes yet.' In a statement issued by the club, BAD said it is exploring options to 'secure alternative pool access and ensure continuity for our swimmers. We are fighting for our future.' In its statement, the city said it will work with BAD to explore options for accessing pool time. Golden Horseshoe Aquatic Club (GHAC), the only other organization to bid on the 2025-2028 youth competitive swimming programs RFP, won the contract despite currently having fewer local members than required by the RFP. 'It is expected that priority will be given for serving City of Burlington residents, with a minimum target of 85 per cent of Burlington residency in the youth competitive and development swimming programs delivered under this agreement,' the RFP read. When BAD released data from Swim Ontario, stating just 28 per cent of GHAC's 2024-2025 registered members were Burlington residents, the city updated its statement to say the RFP required bidders 'to demonstrate how their organizations will ensure 85 per cent of participants are Burlington residents.' According to the city, GHAC's bid 'demonstrated that it could fulfil this requirement upon service commencement in September 2025' and the club will be required to validate this requirement in September, and in each year of the contract. In a statement, GHAC said it served Burlington's swim community for more than 15 years, and operated in city pools before the first competitive youth swimming RFP in 2020 — for which it submitted a proposal that was not selected. 'We're thrilled to have been successful in the 2025 RFP process and look forward to once again contributing to Burlington's vibrant aquatic landscape,' a GHAC representative stated in an email. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Edmonton Journal
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
LEAF NOTES: Wearing down Tanev will be focal point of Panthers' game plan
Article content To no one's surprise, the Florida Panthers are trying to finish the Leafs in each game by hammering the 8-ball in the side and corner pockets. Article content Article content In other words: Give Toronto's workhorse defenceman Chris Tanev a steady stream of hits. In Game 3, it looked like the cumulative contact might have taken a toll when Tanev disappeared to the dressing room for a few shifts. It turned out it was a broken skate blade and he completed the game. Article content Article content But when opponents such as Brad Marchand pay them such a compliment, it shows Craig Berube's team is gaining a new level of respect this spring. Marchand, whose overtime goal Friday prevented the Leafs from taking a 3-0 lead on the Panthers, was keeping the series in perspective heading into Sunday's Game 4. 'It feels good, but it's all about doing next game,' he told media in Sunrise. 'They'll come out hard. You saw how they prepared (two quick strikes in Game 3). They have the killer instinct right now.' When Marchand played in Boston, his team faced elimination five times against Toronto since 2013 and had the intuition to win them all. The Leafs generally shot themselves in the foot. But on his new team, the defending Stanley Cup champions, Marchand has seen Toronto up the ante, while citing the resilience each team has demonstrated in the series to date. The Leafs had two opening-minute strikes counting Game 3, all matches resulting in one-goal decisions. Toronto didn't fold after Joseph Woll let in a bad fourth marker in Game 3, neither did Florida fade after Morgan Rielly tied it. Article content 'That's part of why they're such a great team and what makes us a good team, too,' Marchand said. 'You don't sit back after you're scored on, you want a bounce-back shift. It's a pivotal point in the game when you can respond after a team scores. 'When you have two teams competing at the highest level that are deep, those (goals) happen. You focus on the little details, that's usually when those (follow-up) shifts are won and lost. You have to be prepared to manage those after they score.' RECOMMENDED VIDEO BAD BRAD MEMORIES The Leafs need not explain how Marchand has hurt them over the years in the regular season and playoffs. With just under a point a game in 59 regular season meetings, he entered Game 4 with 33 points in 31 post-season contests and five game-winning goals. It was those totals versus Toronto in a potential playoff meeting and a wealth of experience in the larger spring pressure cooker that made the Panthers want him as Boston entered a rebuild. Marchand was eager to come south, too. Article content The team's new post-win, home-ice tradition is to scoop up the plastic rats that fans toss on the ice and playfully shoot them at Marchand. 'It's a very easy group to feel at home with,' Marchand said. 'You notice the way these guys work. You have a lot of fun, build a lot of unity because of that. They've been through a lot of big moments (taking out Boston twice in the playoffs in addition to their Cup) and tough moments. you bond over that. I feel I've built some friendships in a short period of time.' LOOSE LEAFS New dad Marner didn't want to miss wife Stephanie's first Mother's Day on Sunday while away, but got in touch with her, his mom and his mother-in-law … Tanev revealed Sunday he's finishing off a business degree. He left Rochester Institute of Technology after a year to turn pro, then after a 10-year hiatus picked up studies during the COVID-19 pandemic break. Through an NHLPA program, he transferred his credits to Southern New Hampshire University and is completing online courses, one at a time … It was seven years ago Sunday that Kyle Dubas was named general manager of the Leafs, though he's now with Pittsburgh and Team Canada at the world championship … Listing those on Maurice's teams with playoff overtime goals against the Leafs before Sunday: Niclas Wallin, Jeff O'Neill, Martin Gelinas (Carolina, 2002), Sam Reinhart, Nick Cousins (Florida, 2023) and Marchand (2025). Latest National Stories
Gulf Today
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Sharjah animation forum to feature 72 global speakers
The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) is gearing up for the third edition of the Sharjah Animation Conference (SAC 2025), an annual international platform where industry giants, creative talents, and aspiring innovators deliberate to shape the future of animation. Taking place at Expo Centre Sharjah from May 1-4, the four-day conference, organised in collaboration with Italy's Bergamo Animation Days (BAD), will be packed with the latest trends, cutting-edge technologies, and game-changing opportunities, offering endless possibilities for the future of animated storytelling. SAC 2025 will feature a stellar line-up of 72 international speakers, delivering 26 specialised workshops, 21 panel discussions, exclusive film screenings, and exhibitions. Attendees will also have the chance to connect with renowned directors, illustrators from leading global studios, and award-winning artists, making SAC 2025 a unique platform for collaboration, innovation, and creative exchange in the world of animation, reinforcing Sharjah's status as a hub for visual arts and a global destination for animation talent. Khoula Al Mujaini, Executive Director of SAC, emphasised that the third edition will serve as a global platform, bringing together leading figures in the animation industry to exchange expertise and explore the latest innovations in this rapidly evolving field. She highlighted that hosting the event alongside the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival creates a valuable opportunity for publishers and authors to collaborate with animation creators, paving the way for literary works to be transformed into engaging visual content that reaches wider audiences. She added, 'Animation is a universal language that transcends borders, cultures, and generations. This industry has produced iconic works that remain deeply embedded in the memory of audiences worldwide, demonstrating the enduring power of animation in crafting stories that resonate across diverse backgrounds. Through SAC, we aim to celebrate this remarkable art form, inspire new generations of creatives, and provide a space where industry leaders can connect, collaborate, and push the boundaries of animated storytelling. Recently, the SBA reaffirmed the emirate's standing as a cultural powerhouse with its participation in the 51st edition of the London Book Fair (LBF), at Olympia London. The fair, a key fixture in the global publishing calendar, brought together leading publishers, authors, and industry professionals from across the world, to exchange expertise, showcase their latest offerings, and explore new opportunities for collaboration. Sharjah's presence at the international event underscored its commitment to fostering international cultural exchange. SBA showcased the vibrancy of the UAE's publishing sector and the literary contributions of Emirati and Arab writers. It also strengthened ties between the region's creative industries and the global publishing community, highlighting SBA's initiatives to support the sector and forging new collaborations with international publishers. Commenting on the participation in the fair, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the SBA, said, 'Sharjah's presence at the LBF is a key part of its annual agenda, as the event stands as one of the world's most prominent cultural gatherings, reflecting the global literary and publishing landscape. Each year, the emirate's participation highlights its achievements in the cultural sector, driven by the success of the Sharjah International Book Fair, which holds the world's largest book fair title for four years in a row in terms of buying and selling of copyrights, reaffirming Sharjah's pivotal role in supporting the global publishing movement and fostering cultural exchange between East and West.' Sharjah's pavilion welcomed visitors and enthusiasts of Arabic literature, offering a curated selection of translated works in English. It also facilitated meetings between Emirati and international publishers to explore opportunities for collaboration. As part of SBA's pavilion, the Sharjah Literary Agency provided professional consultations on book marketing strategies and copyright protection. WAM
