JEDDAH: The Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is hosting a pavilion at the c, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s cultural and intellectual landscape at one of the Arab world’s largest literary events.
The fair is organized by the General Egyptian Book Organization and runs from Jan. 21 to Feb. 3 at the Egypt International Exhibition Center in New Cairo.
The pavilion was visited by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Saleh bin Eid Al-Husseini. They were received by the commission’s CEO, Abdullatif Abdulaziz Al-Wasel.
Al-Wasel said that the commission’s participation aimed to raise awareness of Saudi cultural heritage and highlight its intellectual depth as a core component of the Kingdom’s cultural identity and diversity. He said that the pavilion showcased Saudi intellectual and literary production, reflecting its continued development and vitality.
He added that the Kingdom’s participation reflected the integration of its national cultural landscape, with the pavilion bringing together 10 government entities.
The participation underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to strengthening its cultural presence at major Arab and international book fairs, supporting the publishing industry, and expanding cultural and intellectual cooperation worldwide.
This year’s event is held under the slogan “Whoever stops reading for one hour falls behind for centuries,” a quote by Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, who was selected as the fair’s personality of the year. Artist Mohieddin El-Labbad was chosen as the personality of the Children’s Book Fair, while the “Egyptian writer” was selected as the central theme of the event.
Established in 1969, the Cairo International Book Fair is one of the largest book fairs in the world and the second largest after the Frankfurt Book Fair. It attracts millions of visitors annually and features more than 1,400 publishing houses from dozens of countries.
