Saudi Arabia’s heritage in spotlight at Madinah Book Fair

Saudi Arabia’s heritage in spotlight at Madinah Book Fair

JEDDAH: The second Madinah Book Fair began on Thursday at the King Salman International Convention Center, with more than 300 publishers from around the world taking part.

The 10-day fair includes workshops, live plays, poetry readings, cultural programs and interactive events for children, all offering a window into the literary world and helping to support the Kingdom’s cultural growth.

The Kingdom’s Heritage Commission has set up a pavilion that provides visitors with information about Saudi heritage and culture. It includes a selection of some of the most important publications about heritage and antiques, including “Atlal,” a journal of Saudi Arabian archaeology; a book on Asfan and its historical well; a book about Rumah Well in Madinah; a book about historic Islamic coins in the Arabian Peninsula; and a book about heritage-management and preservation organizations.

The pavilion also houses an exhibition of reproductions of rare historical artifacts that have been discovered in the Kingdom.

The commission hopes to give visitors some insight into some of the Kingdom’s important archaeological sites, including Al-Faw. It is also running a workshop for children — “The Little Explorer” — to introduce them to antiques and their importance.

The book fair is part of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission’s Book