“From breed distinctions to artistic representations, the pavilion provides educational content for all ages. Its participation aims to strengthen the profile of the Year of the Camel and underscore the animal’s enduring importance in Saudi Arabian identity.”
It’s the third incarnation of Saudi Arabia’s number three book fair at Almadinah, running July 30 through August 5 (Riyadh and Jeddah of course the main events of the publishing year) and it will come as no surprise to see the UAE has a strong presence there, epitomised by the Menassah Distribution Company.
The Almadinah Book Fair is organised by the Saudi General Authority for Literature, Publishing, and Translation, and as usual brings together hundreds of local, Arab, and international publishing houses, but this year we can add to that books from 80 Emirati publishing houses.
Rashid Al-Kous, General Manager of Menassah Distribution Company, emphasised that participating in the Madinah Book Fair reflects the company’s vision to support Emirati publishers in entering the Saudi book market.
Saudi Arabia is of course one of the largest book markets in the Arab arena, and a shared common language and culture mean the region is a huge opportunity for Arab publishers to reach new audiences before even needing to think about translations for the wider global market.
Read more about the Menasseh-Almadinah partnership here.
But this particular book fair event report would not be complete without mention of the Year of the Camel.
Per the Saudi Press Agency (just so you don’t think this is an AI hallucination), “The Year of the Camel initiative is making its mark at Almadinah Book Fair, showcasing the pivotal role camels have played in the Arabian Peninsula’s history and culture.
“Organised by the Ministry of Culture, the initiative’s pavilion offers visitors a deep dive into the world of camels, exploring their unique characteristics, historical significance, and economic value.
“From breed distinctions to artistic representations, the pavilion provides educational content for all ages. Its participation aims to strengthen the profile of the Year of the Camel and underscore the animal’s enduring importance in Saudi Arabian identity.”
But no, the Year of the Camel is not a Saudi initiative to boost tourism, but in fact a global event orchestrated by the UN, under the title Year of the Camelids.
And of course. in this era of inclusivity, “camelids” is the umbrella group that includes not just your friendly neighbourhood dromedary and your shaggy-haired two-humped bactrian, but also llamas, alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos, and in fact the impetus to create the “Year of the Camelid” originated in Bolivia in Ecuador.
I’m not the biggest ever fan of camels (too many unpleasant memories of drinking camel urine green tea while crossing the Sahara during my pre-internet intrepid travel journalist days), but its great to see these amazing creatures getting some recognition.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsletter.
