India is the guest of honor at this year's Riyadh Book Fair. (Courtesy photo by K.N. Wasif)RIYADH: Under the auspices of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Abdul Aziz M. Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information will open the Riyadh International Book Fair 2011 at the Riyadh International Exhibition Center, Tuesday. India is the guest of honor at this year's Book Fair, described as the largest annual book exhibition in the Middle East. Hundreds of publishing houses, distributors and a large number of retail booksellers are participating in the 11-day event. Seminars and a number of cultural events such as literary evenings will also be held on the sidelines of the show. Organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information the book fair from March 1 to 11 is an opportunity for the public to meet and interact with authors and to hear them speak about their personal experiences and literary works. Four platforms have been set up at the Ministry of Culture and Information pavilion so that authors can sign books for enthusiastic fans. Apart from business activities, the book fair will also feature lectures, symposiums and other cultural events. The fair, which opens for the public from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. without a break, is aimed at attracting a large number of visitors, according to an official source. Based on previous experience, the organizer is expecting over 35,000 visitors a day or even more. The annual fair has been a big hit with families. Keeping this in mind, the organizers have dedicated a large space for a children's pavilion that includes stationery items, bookstores and shops that sell educational toys and other items for children. The fair showcases books on a variety of topics that include Islam, science, fiction, technology, law, and children's literature among others. “It will be an occasion for enthusiastic readers to exchange views about the personal experiences and literary works of authors,” said an official of the ministry. A large number of national, regional and international distribution and publishing houses are participating in the event. The book fair aims to facilitate and promote an exchange between authors, publishers and professionals related to the publishing industry. Arrangements are also made to facilitate personal interviews for people engaged in publishing, including authors, publishers and professionals. Saudi Gazette visited the venue of the book fair two days before the official opening and found that the preparations were well underway with publishers decorating their booths and stacking their shelves with books. Observers also feel that the suspension of the Cairo Book Fair will help to attract more publishers and visitors to this year's Riyadh Book Fair. The Cairo Fair, the oldest such in the Arab world, was to be opened on January 28, but was suspended due to the recent political events in Egypt. Equipped with a column-free floor space of 15,000 square meters, a convention center and a host of other facilities, Riyadh International Exhibition Center (RIEC) is one of the largest venues in Saudi Arabia. The book fair will occupy all the display space available at the Center. Additionally, the auditorium, with a capacity of over 1,000 people is prepared for lectures. RIEC, owned and operated by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is spread over a land area of 189,000 square meters and located at a site in Riyadh that offers easy access to visitors.
