Kudos to Dr Mohammed Alwan for not only embracing and promoting reading for pleasure, but also embracing and promoting technology and digital solutions.

The Saudi Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission is gearing up for the Riyadh International Book Fair, set to take place from September 26 to October 5 at King Saud University in Riyadh.

The event will host over 2,000 publishing houses from 30 countries, reinforcing its status as a premier cultural platform in the Arab world.

The fair will feature 800 pavilions and over 200 events, catering to all age groups and promoting a culture of reading and creativity. A dedicated children’s area will offer literary, cultural, and recreational activities to nurture young minds.

Additionally, a special section for self-published Saudi authors will highlight the Commission’s commitment to supporting local talent and the publishing industry.

Qatar, this year’s guest of honor, will showcase its cultural heritage through a pavilion featuring rare manuscripts and publications from its Ministry of Culture.

Dr Mohammed Hasan Alwan, Ph.D, CEO of the Saudi Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, noted the fair’s five-decade history and its role in shaping the Arab cultural landscape. The event integrates modern technologies and digital solutions, offering attendees the chance to explore thousands of new publications and participate in a rich cultural program featuring prominent figures from around the world.

In recent years, the Riyadh International Book Fair has attracted substantial attendance, with visitor numbers regularly exceeding one million, as TNPS regulars will know.

This year’s edition promises to continue this trend, providing an invaluable opportunity for publishing professionals to exchange knowledge, support the industry, and foster a love for reading.

While that should be a given for any book fair, it’s often an idea that does not shine through, with many international book fairs obsessing about reading for knowledge and cultural snobbism, and ranting against everything and anything online as a threat to books, instead of encouraging people, and especially children, to read for the pure, unadulterated pleasure of reading.

So kudos to Dr Mohammed Alwan for not only embracing and promoting reading for pleasure, but also embracing and promoting technology and digital solutions.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.