Book Summit 2021

2020 was a year that shook the world, challenging the way we work, how we reach customers, and publishers’, booksellers’, and libraries’ roles in the community. What should we take from the year’s upheavals, and how can we adapt and be more resilient going forward? How can we support staff and boost job satisfaction? How can we create community and engagement online? How can publishing further social and environmental justice? The 19th edition of Book Summit looks to how we can look after the triple bottom line and foster a thriving, sustainable industry.

Book Summit 21 Keynote Speaker is Zahra Al-Harazi.

The Power of Purpose:

Your brand is a reflection of your organization’s culture and that culture is the reflection of your purpose, daily habits, and values. It’s this that guides your employees and teams. In this presentation, Zahra Al-Harazi proves that the key to building great companies lies in how you enable learning, skills, opportunity, and connection. Drawing on powerful stories of extraordinary organizations who have learned to build, shape, and unlock their purpose, Al-Harazi will leave you with practical strategies to effectively understand, lead, and motivate your team; move your business to the forefront; and lead by example. This keynote is sponsored by HarperCollinsCanada.

Zahra Al-Harazi is the co-founder of Skillit, an experiential marketplace for skills, and was the CEO of Foundry Communications, an internationally acclaimed, award-winning marketing and communications firm based in Calgary. A sought-after speaker and consultant for leading institutions and events around the world, Al-Harazi served for several years as the Canadian ambassador for UNICEF. A true citizen of the world, she has lived on four continents, visited more than a hundred countries, and argued for human rights in five languages. She is the author of What It Takes . . . To Live and Lead with Purpose, Laughter, and Strength.