RIYADH, December 12 (CIC) – Literati and glitterati from Saudi Arabia and beyond descend on Thursday on the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, which plays host to the third Jeddah International Book Fair. China has been invited as the guest of honour.
Some 500 Arab and international publishers from over 40 countries will take part in the December 14-24 event that will offer visitors an opportunity to interact with the upcoming, as well as established stars of Saudi literature.
The event will also include 187 book signings, lectures, seminars, poetry recitals and story-telling, in addition to a special evening to mark the life and work of the celebrated Saudi poet, Ibrahim Al-Khafaji, who penned the Kingdom’s national anthem. A special Chinese cultural show will also be held, apart from performances by artists from other nations.
The fair will provide a platform for budding writers to connect with publishers.
Six prominent Saudis who have made a significant contribution to cultural and literary scene of the Kingdom will be honoured – Dr. Ahmed Al-Dabbayeb, Dr. Abbas Tashkendi, Dr. Yahia Bin Junaid, Professor Abdul Rahman Al-Muammar, Dr. Huda Al-Amoudi and Khalid Al-Yousif.
The fair will introduce the Colors project, a national programme conceptualised by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), to promote local artistic talent as well as tourism, mainly through photography.
The book fair will be held under the auspices of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and Information.
In related news, the activities of Saudi-Chinese Cultural Week started on Monday at King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh, under the patronage of Minister of Culture and Information Dr. Awwad Alawwad, and comes within the joint cooperation between Saudi Arabia and China.
The Saudi-Chinese Cultural Week will also be held in Jeddah on December 14 in conjunction with the Jeddah International Book Fair.
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