Abu Dhabi — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is getting ready to participate as the Guest of Honor in the 2018 Riyadh International Book Fair which is being held under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. Titled “The Book is the Future of Transformation,” the book fair is taking place from March 14 to 24 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center. A high-ranking delegation from the UAE, headed by Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, will be traveling to Saudi Arabia for the exhibition opening ceremony. The event will see the participation of a number of dignitaries representing more than 20 UAE cultural institutions such as the National Archives, the Emirates Writers Union, the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture & Tourism, the Fujairah Culture & Media Authority, The Emirates Heritage Club, the Emirates Publishers Association, the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, the Cultural & Scientific Association, the Dubai International Holy Quran Award, the UAE Board on Books for Young People, the Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage, Abu Dhabi Media, the Abu Dhabi Poetry Academy, the Sharjah Department of Culture & Information, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, and the Sharjah Institute For Heritage. Al Kaabi said: “The UAE has deep-rooted ties with Saudi Arabia which were established by leadership over the years. This bond has been strengthened over time by joint synergy and cooperation across a number of areas. “The relationship we enjoy today has demonstrated positive results in the ongoing development at the political, economic and social levels for both countries. “With the UAE being the Guest of Honor at the Riyadh International Book Fair, we look to share the best of what the UAE has to offer from an artistic, literary and business point of view.” Al-Kaabi said that book fairs are platforms in which countries showcase their cultural standing, their important contributions in the arts, literature, and science fields, as well as promote dialogue and exchange among participants. The UAE is looking forward to highlighting its rich cultural offering through the participation of more than 20 UAE publishing houses and cultural institutions. The UAE pavilion will host a number of poetry nights, cultural seminars, events and children's programs, including a mural that will bring together artists from both countries. The pavilion will also be hosting the ‘Youth Circle’ — a youth seminar organized by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development in cooperation with the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Foundation (MiSK) and the Arab Youth Center. The UAE stand will also highlight the history of the relations it presently shares with the Kingdom, with an interactive space outfitted with modern and classical audio-visual components, and will showcase the various means of communication that were utilised by both countries over the years. The Riyadh International Book Fair is one of the most significant cultural events in Saudi Arabia, seeing the highest sales among all Arab fairs with more than 500 participating Arab and international publishing houses and more than 80 cultural activities.