Saudi Arabia is taking part in the “24th Al-Assad International Book Fair” inaugurated, Thursday in the Syrian capital, Damascus. Saudi Arabia is represented by the Ministry of Culture and Information as well as 11 private Saudi organizations. Some 32 private organizations are taking part in the event, 17 of them are publishers participating for the first time. Cultural activities such as seminars on Arabic culture and heritage are being held at the same time of the event. The event ends August 15. Of the 24 countries participating, 13 are Arab, the Saudi Press Agency reported. This is not the first time Saudi Arabia is involved in a book fair. Every September a book fair is held in Riyadh with 600 Arabic publishers in attendance and 250,000, mostly religious, titles presented. A similar book fair is held in Jeddah every March. At the London Book Fair 2008 a Saudi was a one of nine finalists for the British Council International Young Publishing Entrepreneur award. She was nominated for a children's book published in Jeddah.
