RIYADH: Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Toraifi inaugurated the Riyadh International Book Fair, the most awaited literary event in the capital, in the presence of Malaysian Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC) on Wednesday.
The 10-day event is being held under the patronage of King Salman. Malaysia is the guest-of-honor country this year, with Al-Toraifi opening the fair’s Malaysian pavilion at the invitation of Khalid, who came to Riyadh as a representative of his country at the event.
The fair was inaugurated following the recitation of the Saudi national anthem, followed by traditional folklore and music.
Al-Toraifi was greeted at the Malaysian pavilion with traditional dance by a cultural group flown especially from Malaysia.
“Choosing Malaysia as the guest of honor is consistent with the distinctive ties between the two countries in various political, economic, cultural and tourism fields,” he said.
Malaysian Ambassador Zainol Rahim Zainuddin said his government is deeply honored that Malaysia is the guest of honor.
The Southeast Asian country, with diverse cultures, languages and religions, has a rich legacy in books, literature, art and culture, adding value to the fair.
The event is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information (MoCI), and has become a gathering point for readers, authors, and local and regional publishing houses. This was evident from the huge turnout of visitors and participants on the opening day. More than 550 local, Arab and international publishing houses are participating.
The fair seeks to facilitate and promote cultural exchanges between authors, publishers, those professionally concerned with books, and those who love reading.
The fair offers books from different genres for readers of all age groups, and offers a diverse program and activities for different categories of visitors, including children and youths.
The event provides a cultural bridge between the Arab and wider worlds, and a networking platform for publishers, writers, scholars and academic institutions.
The fair, which started over a decade ago, displays a large collection of books on Islam, Arab culture, history, medicine, law, science, technology, mass media and communication, as well as biographical accounts, fiction and novels in popular languages including Arabic, English, French, Turkish, Urdu and Spanish.