The Accessible Books Consortium has announced the shortlist for the 2026 ABC International Excellence Award for Accessible Publishing. The Award recognizes publishers and initiatives that demonstrate exceptional leadership and innovation in advancing accessibility for people who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled.
Finalists in the publisher category are:
- France: FeniXX
- Italy: Zanichelli Editore S.p.A
- Poland: Have a Book
Shortlisted candidates in the initiative category are:
- Brazil: Fundação Dorina Nowill para Cegos
- China: China Braille Press
- Guatemala: Benemérito Comité Pro-Ciegos y Sordos de Guatemala
The jury noted that this year’s shortlist reflects a remarkable breadth of geographic representation and approaches to accessible publishing. From publishers integrating accessibility across their full production chain, to mission-driven organizations expanding access to education and literature in their regions, the 2026 finalists demonstrate a clear strategic commitment to inclusion.
Collectively, these organizations highlight the growing recognition that accessibility must be incorporated from the earliest stages of publishing, ensuring that persons with print disabilities are fully considered in publishing processes.
The winners will be announced during the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Awards ceremony held during the gala dinner at the Palazzo Re Enzo in Bologna, Italy on April 13, 2026.
About ABC
The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) is a public-private partnership led by WIPO that, together with its many partners around the world, has had real impact over the past decade. Since its inception, the ABC Global Book Service catalogue has quadrupled in size to over one million titles thanks to the inclusion of the collections of participating authorized entities. ABC delivered a total of 240,500 accessible digital files from the ABC catalogue to persons with print disabilities through its authorized entities in 2025. In addition, through ABC’s training and technical assistance partners, more than 24,000 textbooks have been made accessible in over 40 low-income countries, improving access to education for thousands of young people. ABC was established in June 2014 to implement the goals of the Marrakesh Treaty.
About Bologna Children’s Book Fair
The Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF) is an industry leading event that has succeeded in bringing together a unique and diverse global audience thanks to 62 years experience. The result is the world’s premium copyright exchange hub when it comes to publishing which also extends to current multimedia and licensing businesses for children’s stories, illustration, animation and related areas.
Publishers, illustrators, graphic designers, literary agents, authors, translators, mobile developers, licensors and licensees, packagers, printers, distributors, audiobook professionals, booksellers, brands, librarians and teachers all flock to the event each spring to experience the world of books and multimedia products in thousands of booths across six huge halls.
The world famous Illustrators Exhibition and industry recognized BolognaRagazzi Awards are some of key pillars that make this event so special: BCBF is a unique mix of a cultural book show and an international rights business forum for all types of content for children.
BolognaBookPlus, the brand extension dedicated to general trade publishing organised in co-operation with AIE - Italian Publishers Association and Bologna Licensing Trade Fair/Kids, the exhibition bringing together the major international licensing and entertainment players, in the kid’s industry, has become an integral part of Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
Three global events for international rights and licensing trading.
About WIPO
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation. A specialized agency of the United Nations, WIPO assists its 194 member states in developing a balanced international IP legal framework to meet society's evolving needs. It provides business services for obtaining IP rights in multiple countries and resolving disputes. It delivers capacity-building programs to help developing countries benefit from using IP. And it provides free access to unique knowledge banks of IP information.