Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Emir of Makkah Prince Khaled Al-Faisal will open the third edition of the Jeddah International Book Fair on Wednesday. More than 500 publishing houses from 42 countries will be participating in the fair. The opening ceremony will be attended by Jeddah Governor Prince Mishal Bin Majed, Minister of Culture and Information Awwad Al-Awwad and other senior officials.

The 10-day book fair will open for visitors from Thursday morning. The visiting hours will be from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday to Thursday and from 4 p.m. to midnight on Friday. Like the past two years, a large number of book lovers are expected to visit the fair to be held at South Obhur.

Prince Khaled will honor a number of poets, intellectuals and men of letters who have made positive contributions to the cultural life in the Kingdom.

Among others, the honorees will include such names as Ahmed Al-Dhbaib, Abbas Tashkandi, Yahya Bin Junaid, Abdul Rahman Al-Muaammar, Huda Al-Amoudi, Khaled Al-Youssuf and Ibrahim Khafaji, who passed away recently at the age of 93.

Al-Khafaji was known for composing Saudi Arabia›s national anthem.

The cultural committee of the fair said about 50 various cultural activities to be organized on the sidelines of the book fair. They will include lectures, seminars, art exhibitions, workshops, poetic nights, musical concerts, documentary films and folklore performances, among other activities.

Reading sessions will be organized to encourage children to build the habit.