Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH —The King Abdulaziz Public Library of Riyadh boasts of having rich collections of rare photographs of King Abdul Aziz, founder of modern Saudi Arabia. These pictures speak of volumes about the personal and official life of the King as well as his remarkable achievements in the foundation and building of the nation.

They also give insight into the positions of the Kingdom’s founder on major regional and international issues through his interviews and meetings with a large number of world leaders and prominent figures, such as presidents, kings, ministers, ambassadors and international personalities concerned with the issues of the Arab world, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The library, one of the major cultural landmarks in the Kingdom, also hosts a wide variety of images as well as rare books, documents and manuscripts that shed light into Saudi Arabia’s rich history, culture and heritage besides various phases of the march of nation building and development.

These images give a visual treat about important events and incidents that have vast historical dimensions with regard to the social, political and cultural life of the Kingdom. Each image highlights the historical importance of the events that took place during the era of the Kingdom’s founder.

The reader can have insights while tracing the historical and visual narratives of these images. There are a series of pictures that revealed how much King Abdul Aziz was keen to meet with citizens, including tribal elders, in direct and open meetings, listen to them and redress their grievances. A group of pictures taken during the Haj season show how the King was keen on serving the two Holy Mosques and the pilgrims by making available vast facilities and services.

One of the pictures showed the founder’s care and keenness on education and honoring of scholars and students. There are also images about a series of interviews and official visits of King Abdul Aziz.

The pictures include his historic meetings with several world leaders such as US President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and King Farouk of Egypt.

The King Abdulaziz Public Library has acquired a valuable collection of photographs in its original and illustrated forms, representing all walks of Saudi life from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. Most of these photographs were from the lenses of several eminent international photographers as well as professional local photographers.

The collections at the library also include images representing various scenes from the Arabian Peninsula, and important visual record from a number of countries in the Arab and Islamic world. The images also cover scenes of life in Makkah and Madinah, as well as Kingdom’s rich heritage and archeological sites, in addition to a collection of photographs of Al-Aqsa Mosque. There are also plenty of images showcasing the salient features of Saudi tradition, arts, costumes, social customs, handicrafts, and various architectural models from the past.