RIYADH: Under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Toraifi inaugurated Riyadh International Book Fair 2016 on Wednesday.
A large audience attended the opening ceremony at the Riyadh Center for Exhibition and Conference, including top Ministry of Culture and Information officials, diplomats and representatives of local and international publishing houses along with the general public.
Around 500 local and international publishers and countries are participating in the fair, displaying a wide variety of books on science, technology, history, literature, politics, religion, languages, geography, medicine, engineering and education.
Many countries are participating in the 10-day event with national booths of different sizes, with Greece having a large pavilion as guest of honor country at the middle of the fair venue.
The United States is one of the major participating countries. “First, I would like to congratulate Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Ministry of Culture and Information for professionally organizing this large event. We are very happy to participate in this major Saudi culture event because of its importance to our bilateral cultural relations,” US Cultural Attaché David Edginton told Arab News.
He said that the US booth will display many books on American culture, history and biographies of prominent Americans.
“The fair is a good opportunity for us and all participants and visitors to exchange ideas and information freely,” Edginton said.
The fair, seen as one of the largest yearly cultural events not only in the Kingdom but in the whole Middle East, aims to facilitate and promote exchanges between authors, publishers and all responsible for promoting the culture of reading.
The ministry has set strict rules to protect intellectual property at the fair. Other rules include warnings against displaying or selling any books or cultural materials not approved by the ministry.
Al-Toraifi opens Riyadh Book Fair 2016
Al-Toraifi opens Riyadh Book Fair 2016
Saudi Arabia highlights responsible leadership at AI Impact Summit in India
- Kingdom among more than 70 countries at event discussing cooperation over artificial intelligence
NEW DELHI: Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, participated in a high-level session on harnessing the latest technology for people and the planet during the AI Impact Summit 2026, hosted by India.
The summit brought together representatives from more than 70 countries and 25 international organizations, alongside senior policymakers and technology experts, to discuss the transformative potential of AI and the importance of global cooperation.
The Saudi delegation was led by SDAIA President Abdullah Alghamdi and included Saudi Ambassador to India Haitham Al-Maliki, as well as officials from relevant government entities.
The session focused on launching a global network of specialized AI scientific institutions, accelerating research and innovation through advanced technologies, strengthening collaboration among governments and research bodies, and promoting the use of AI to address pressing global challenges. Discussions also focused on leveraging AI to advance the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Abdulrahman Habib, deputy chief strategy officer at SDAIA, stressed the importance of unifying international efforts to ensure the responsible and ethical use of AI. He highlighted the need for AI development to deliver sustainable and positive outcomes for societies and economies worldwide.
Habib also outlined Saudi initiatives, noting the Kingdom’s progress in establishing regulatory frameworks and national policies that balance innovation with effective governance of emerging technologies. He pointed to applied AI models that have improved quality of life, enhanced the efficiency of government services, and contributed to environmental sustainability.
SDAIA’s participation in the summit reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing role in shaping the global AI agenda and strengthening its presence in international technology forums. The engagement aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which places digital transformation and innovation at the core of the Kingdom’s long-term development strategy.
