The inaugural Madinah Book Fair, which began on Thursday at the King Salman bin Abdelaziz Center for Exhibitions and Conferences, is attracting more than 200 publishers and other connected organizations.
“The commission is seeking to build its role in the book fair industry based on partnership and integration foundations, and we also aim to provide the people of the city with a renewed cultural scene, and we hope to offer the publishing industry beneficial, culturally and economically viable book fairs,” said Mohammed Hassan Alwan, CEO of event organizer the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, during the opening ceremony.
The 10-day celebration will run till June 25 under the auspices of Madinah’s governor, Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. It comprises workshops, cultural and theatrical programmers, and events for kids that give them a glimpse into the world of writing and publishing.
The goal of the event, according to organizers, is to raise Madinah’s cultural status, boost the Saudi publishing sector, encourage cultural exchanges between countries, provide readers with an integrated journey, and highlight the importance of reading in raising awareness and improving quality of life.
The show will feature ten Arab countries – Kuwait, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria, UAE, Oman, Mauritania, Jordan, Egypt, and Sudan — as well as the United Kingdom. More than 80 of the more than 200 participating publishers and allied entities, including universities, research institutes, foundations, commissions, bookstores, and libraries, are from the Kingdom. On the first day, the event drew large numbers.
The attractions included educational theatrical plays and workshops in Arabic and English for children on topics such as storytelling, handicrafts, drawing, writing, interactive reading, heritage arts, Arabic calligraphy, and philosophy.