PARIS: Saudi Arabia is participating for the seventh year in a row in the Paris Book Fair, which opened on Friday.
The Kingdom’s pavilion showcases a variety of publications in Arabic, French and English, including more than 17 Saudi Cultural Bureau publications. It also features new editions of 11 books as part of a translation project, supported by Misk Foundation, that aims to introduce the Saudi literature to the world.
The Saudi cultural attache in France and Switzerland, Abdullah Al-Thunayan, said that the Kingdom’s participation in the Paris Book Fair, the second largest of its kind in Europe, aims to highlight the cultural renaissance taking place in Saudi Arabia and introduce the public to the ancient heritage of the Arabian Peninsula.
He added that the Saudi pavilion features literary and cultural publications that underscore the country’s cultural and social heritage, with the unlimited support of the Saudi government, and promote tourism in the Kingdom by highlighting the country’s history, heritage and important attractions. SPA Paris
The pavilion was officially opened by Khalid Al-Ankary, the Saudi ambassador to France. Guests at the ceremony included Sultan Al-Qasimi, a member of the Supreme Council of the UAE, former French Minister of Culture Renaud Donnedieu, and Arab World Institute President Jack Lang. French Minister of Culture Franck Riester and a group of Saudi and French writers and researchers also visited the pavilion during its opening day.
The Saudi program of events during the book fair includes literary and cultural events for adults and children. In addition, on the sidelines of the fair, the Saudi Cultural Bureau in France and Switzerland will hold poetry events and more than a dozen literary seminars featuring Saudi and French writers, academics, novelists and media professionals, along with Saudi students studying in Paris.
The pavilion also features a 3D, interactive display highlighting some of the country’s most noteworthy tourist attractions, and will host daily Arabic calligraphy workshops for children to highlight the role of this art form as part of the Arab culture and aesthetic heritage. Nine plays for children will also be stages, along with readings of folk tales and other activities for youngsters.
