The International Authors Forum held its first hybrid Annual General Meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland at Gunnarshouse, The Writers’ Union of Iceland on Tuesday 22 March.
Representatives of the IAF membership participated both in person and online, where developments and activities of the organisation over the past year were presented and discussed. Ongoing work of the IAF with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), the Standing Committee for Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), UNESCO, the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations, PLR International and other partners was presented. The IAF also presented its recent work and future plans to engage with authors in the regions of Latin America (where it has created a network of creators’ organisations) and Africa.
IAF will continue to work on issues around Public Lending Right, Artists’ Resale Right and Exceptions and Limitations to Copyright. It will also continue its work to ensure authors are supported as cultural and creative sectors recover from the impact of the COVID pandemic.
The election of the new steering committee was announced, with the following elected:
- Chair of the IAF Steering Committee: John Degen, The Writers’ Union of Canada, (Canada)
- Treasurer of the IAF Steering Committee: Owen Atkinson, Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society, (United Kingdom)
(Remaining members of the committee in alphabetical order)
- Paulina Holmgren, Swedish Association of Professional Photographers / Bildupphovsrätt, (Sweden)
- Olivia Lanchester, Australian Society of Authors, (Australia)
- Mary Rasenberger, The Authors Guild, (USA)
- Nicola Solomon, Society of Authors, (United Kingdom)
- Katie Webb, La Federazione Unitaria Italiana Scrittori (FUIS), (Italy)
- Carlos Wynter, Fundación para la Gestión del Arte, (Panama)
At the closing of the AGM, it was announced that next year’s AGM will take place in Cape Town, South Africa.
IAF would like to thank all of its members who participated in person and online.
