RIYADH - Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Minister of Culture, inaugurated this evening, Thursday, the activities of the Riyadh International Book Fair 2021 at the front of Riyadh, in the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities of the Republic of Iraq, Dr. Hassan Nazim, and the Iraqi ambassador to the Kingdom, Dr. Abdul Sattar Hadi Al-Janabi, representing the Republic of Iraq, which was chosen to be the guest of honor for this year's edition of the Riyadh International Book Fair.

The opening ceremony witnessed a qualitative presence of Saudi, Arab and international cultural figures and leaders.

It is considered the largest book fair in the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the participation of more than 1,000 publishing houses from 30 countries from different continents of the world. The exhibition, which will be held during the period from 1 to 10 October, will host a number of seminars and qualitative evenings that enrich its comprehensive cultural program.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, the authority is organizing the International Publishers Conference, on the fourth and fifth of October, which is the first conference of its kind in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and seeks to reformulate the future of the Arab publishing industry, and includes workshops presented by major publishers in the world and leaders of the book industry.

As part of its activities, the exhibition will host the "Book Talk" event, which presents a selection of influential thinkers, authors and celebrities, led by Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Jordan Belfort and Chris Garden, to talk about their inspiring experiences in writing and writing.

The exhibition is held on an area of ​​more than 36,000 square meters, and includes areas dedicated to the works of publishers. It also hosts workshops, dialogue sessions, training courses, poetry and art evenings, performances and international plays presented on three external theaters, two theaters at Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University. And a theater at the King Fahd Cultural Center, in addition to qualitative activities targeting all segments of society, such as: live cooking shows, children's activities and other various activities.

The 2021 Riyadh International Book Fair is scheduled to receive its visitors daily from ten in the morning until eleven in the evening.