Cairo: The Jeddah Book Fair is underway in the Red Sea city with the participation of over 900 publishing houses.
The event, running through December 17, features 100 activities including debate sessions and poetry recitals.
Moreover, two conferences on digital publishing and science fiction will be held on the sidelines of the fair for the first time in the kingdom, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported.
The fair was opened Thursday in the presence of several Saudi and foreign culture personalities.
“The Jeddah book fair will mark a literary event enriching the Saudi cultural landscape,” said Mohammad Hassan Elwan, the executive chief of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, the state organizer of the event.
“The commission seeks to boost the book and publishing industry, encourage cultural exchange and enrich the public experience. The Jeddah fair will enhance the role of reading as a lifestyle,” he added.
The Jeddah book fair is the third organised by the commission in Saudi Arabia this year. The previous two were held in Medina and Riyadh in June and October respectively.
