It’s time again for one of the most anticipated events on Saudi Arabia’s annual cultural calendar. From March 14 to 24, Riyadh will have over 60,000 books from all genres and for all ages on offer at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
According to the Kingdom’s Centre for Communication, the 10-day Riyadh International Book Fair, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information, will offer books at discounted prices, as well as a program of literary discussions, seminars, and workshops.
This year’s event, entitled “The Book is the Future of Transformation,” also welcomes the United Arab Emirates as the nation of honor. Each year, the fair nominates a country as its guest of honor and allocates a special pavilion for it to display its culture and literature.
A high-ranking delegation from the UAE, headed by Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, will head to Saudi Arabia for the exhibition opening ceremony.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Al Kaabi said, “The UAE has deep-rooted ties with Saudi Arabia which were established by leadership over the years. This bond has been strengthened over time by joint synergy and cooperation across a number of areas […] The relationship we enjoy today has demonstrated positive results in the ongoing development at the political, economic and social levels for both countries.”
Every year, the event attracts hundreds of publishing houses and hundreds of thousands of visitors – last year half a million. It has for many years served as a cultural bridge between the Arab region and the wider world, providing a much-needed networking platform for publishers, writers, scholars, and academic institutions. One of the fair’s main objectives is to promote literacy amongst young Saudis, in a bid to furthermore develop the Kingdom’s knowledge-based economy.
The venue will be open from 10 am to 10 pm from Saturday to Thursday and from 3 pm to 10 pm on Friday.
