As Gvantsa Jobava enters her second year as president of the International Publishers Association, the Georgian publisher is navigating a publishing landscape she describes as increasingly hostile to democratic values. Speaking from Tbilisi ahead of Frankfurt Book Fair, Jobava made clear that business-as-usual is no longer an option for publishers worldwide.
“Being silenced is not a solution,” Jobava said, her voice carrying the weight of someone living through what she describes as rapid democratic backsliding in her own country. “If we see something unfair happening, even if it’s not about us, it’s important that we find the strength to speak up. Speaking up for others is speaking up for yourself.”
Beyond profit margins
Jobava, who also serves as IPA Copyright Committee co-chair, is spearheading initiatives that reflect her conviction that publishers must look beyond profit margins to preserve the environment in which free expression can thrive. At Frankfurt, IPA is announcing three significant developments: the launch of the Freedom of Expression Defenders Award; a partnership with the UN Women’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia; and continued advocacy on AI copyright issues.
The new award, which Jobava personally initiated, represents a shift in how IPA approaches freedom to publish. Unlike the existing Prix Voltaire, which honors individual publishers who take risks, the Freedom of Expression Defenders Award will recognize organizations working systematically to protect democratic values.
“We want to involve more organizations to look at these issues in a more serious way,” Jobava explained. “Even if you’re living in a very democratic country and you feel safe as a publisher, there are very big risks.”
Applications for the award are opening in January with the first winner to be announced at Frankfurt Book Fair 2026. Jobava pointed to the German Publishers Association as an example of proactive engagement with freedom issues, even in a stable democracy.
Women in publishing
On gender equality, IPA is partnering with the United Nations to promote women’s empowerment principles across the publishing sector. Several events are addressing the role of women in publishing. “It’s a problem that we don’t see more women in senior positions,” Jobava said. “The IPA is an example of this: I’m only the fourth woman to lead the organization in the 130 years of the organization.”
Copyright and AI remain pressing concerns for the IPA as well. Jobava noted that awareness of AI training on copyrighted works varies dramatically by region and language. “When I started talking about copyright, too many people from our industry did not notice there was a problem,” she said, noting this is particularly prevalent in smaller language markets, like Georgia. “These gigantic companies are using our materials, our books, to train their machines without licensing, without paying for copyright.”
Jobava said that in her travels in the role as IPA president one thing has become abundantly clear, no matter where you are in the world, there is no separating the publishing business from politics. “We need to find what our role is and how we can be useful to society to defend our values, which are fundamental for this work,” she said, noting that that extends from freedom of expression to protecting the environment.
“If we don’t manage to preserve the value of honesty and integrity in our work, then our profession loses its purpose. If we’re not honest to our readers, if the writers we publish are not honest to their readers, then what’s the point?”
