Riyadh book fair kicks off with Qatar's participation

The Riyadh International Book Fair (RIBF) 2023 kicked off Thursday with the participation of several Qatari publishing houses including Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press), Dar Al Watad, Katara Publishing House, Dar Samarkand and Roza Publishing House.The event, which will last until October 7, features the latest publications in a variety of literature, arts, and knowledge with the participation of over 1,800 publishing houses. Director of the Libraries Department at the Ministry of Culture, Director of the Doha International Book Fair Jassim Ahmed al-Buainain stated to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the ministry was keen to have Qatar's participation in the current edition of the RIBF be special, as they will showcase Qatari intellectual production from the ministry's releases, which include novels and books in the areas of law, social sciences, humanities and more, in addition to children and young adult books.The objective of Qatar's participation in the fair comes within the efforts of building relations with those working in the culture and publication, in addition to displaying Qatari intellectual works to Qatari publishing houses, he added. Marwa Musleh, an administrative official at Dar Al Watad, said to QNA that Dar Al Watad is participating in the RIBF for the second year in a row, adding that the publishing house was interested in participating in the fair as it is one of the most important exhibitions in the Arab countries that adds value to the international and Arab cultural scene.Dar Al Watad are displaying a wide variety of publications including books on general knowledge, science, law, human development and history, as well as novels, children's books and other important titles that target different groups and ages, she explained. Executive Director of HBKU Press Bachar Chebaro said that HBKU Press worked hard to reach its current position. Adding that the RIBF is not just an opportunity to sell HBKU Press's publications but is also an opportunity to meet Saudi Arabia's readers.Chebaro said that this marks the third participation of HBKU Press in the fair. HBKU Press takes this opportunity to launch its latest book releases in both Arabic and English that target children, teenagers and adults. He explained that the publishing house is diverse, committed to high quality and presents a wide range of genres such as personal development, novels, translated creative works, as well as important works by pioneers of scientific research in the region.There will be more than 200 cultural activities as part of the book fair and these include dialogue sessions, seminars, poetry evenings performed by elite classical and Nabati poets, workshops in various branches of knowledge, along with interaction of novelists and writers.The fair will feature various activities to educate children. There will also be Saudi and international theatrical performances, musical and lyrical concerts, as well as the Book Talk event, which hosts a group of influential thinkers and authors, in activities that reflect all elements and components of culture.