TAIF: The Saudi Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission concluded its third Writers and Readers Festival in Taif. Running until Jan. 15, the event drew over 370,000 visitors, a record-breaking figure that solidifies the festival’s standing as a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s cultural calendar.

Commission CEO Abdullatif Alwasel said the event’s success reflects a strategic effort to integrate literature into daily life and expand creative spaces across Saudi Arabia.

The festival’s location underscores the historical and literary significance of Taif, which in 2023 became the first Saudi city designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature.