Raff Publishing announces exciting license agreement with Disney to elevate Arabic-language children's literary offerings

In an exciting license agreement with Disney, Raff Publishing is set to release 92 Disney stories to the MENA region, including countries such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. This marks a significant milestone as Raff Publishing ventures into the dynamic realm of children's publishing. 

Through this license agreement and titles that Raff Publishing will publish, Raff Publishing aims to inspire children's creativity and curiosity, offering families a wonderful opportunity to come together through captivating narratives. By nurturing a lifelong passion for reading and learning in the MENA region, starting from early childhood, this license agreement represents an important step forward in expanding the literary landscape for young readers in the region.

These titles include 48 stories translated into Arabic and 44 in English. Among the featured franchises are widely popular stories from Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars.

This license agreement brings the magic of Disney to readers across the MENA region, creating connections with readers of all ages, promoting the joy of reading, and encouraging families to bond over stories that ignite the imagination.

Remarkably, this collaboration addresses a significant gap in the Arabic literature market, as a tiny proportion of the books published annually are translated into Arabic.

With a particular focus on offering Arabic-language books tailored for children and young readers, this collaboration is poised to enhance access to literature in their native language. Early literacy in a child’s native language lays the crucial foundation for academic success in later stages of education, making this collaboration all the more significant for the region.

Paula Scott, General Manager of Raff Publishing, said: “Raff Publishing is focused on enhancing the availability of Arabic-language children’s books catered to the changing needs of our youngest reading audience. In addition to delivering top-tier Arabic-language literary material, this collaboration with Disney serves as a significant component of SRMG's forward-looking strategy for growth and expansion. We remain committed to fostering literature and instilling a passion for reading in the MENA region.”

As part of SRMG's mission of making Arabic-language content more accessible in the MENA region, Raff Publishing is part of a global alliance that broadens SRMG's reach and offers a wider range of media content to a dynamic audience. Disney is the latest addition to SRMG's list of esteemed partners, which includes Warner Bros. Discovery, Bloomberg, The Independent, Billboard, and Shueisha.

Raff Publishing is privileged to announce its collaboration in this year's esteemed Riyadh International Book Fair, held from September 28 to October 7 at King Saud University, and organized by the Saudi Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission. The newly published titles resulting from the license agreement with Disney are currently available at both the Riyadh International Book Fair and major Saudi book retailers, with plans for wider regional distribution in the near future.

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