Jasser announced that this year's guest of honor is the Republic of India. He said publishing houses will be honored during the event. Deputizing the intellectuals, Mubarak Al-Khaldi called for establishing a literates association, writers and authors fund and releasing literates, intellectuals and artists as full timers to fulfill the job of cultural production. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Khoja thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for his kind patronage of this occasion and expressed welcome of the Ambassador of India Talmiz Ahmed, the guest of honor of the event. Dr. Khoja announced the donation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques of SR10 million in support of literary clubs. The Minister also conveyed the greetings of Saudi female and male literates and intellectuals for the monarch's safe return and recovered health. He also conveyed the greetings and wishes of success extended by Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation and Inspector General, and Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, for this exhibition. In a highly-composed rhetorical speech, Dr. Khoja spoke about the relation of anybody with books, the difference in content between his generation and the current youth generation, and the interrelation between the Arab and Indian cultures. He announced honoring four of Saudi literates who have passed away. They are Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi, Dr. Mohammed Abdo Yamani, Dr. Abdullah Al-Jeffry and Dr. Ahmed Al-Mubarak. He also honored six publishing houses. They are the Saudi House for Publishing, Al-Maaref Bookshop, Al-Thaqafa Bookshop, Al-Yamamah Bookshop, Al-Marreikh Bookshop and Al-Oloom Bookshop. Dr. Khoja and the Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmed toured the Indian pavilion and were briefed on its contents. More than 700 publishing houses from 30 countries display more than 300,000 titles in the fair which lasts for ten days. The opening ceremony was attended by Prince Turki bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Assistant Minister of Culture and Information, and senior officials.
