RIYADH: The Riyadh International Book Fair is shaping the domestic and regional cultural scene for emerging authors since launching on Sept. 28, with young writers telling Arab News that the event is providing them much-needed exposure.
In Saudi Arabia, book fairs have gained significance as the publishing industry undergoes continuous transformation. The events offer young writers the opportunity to display their skills and publish their novels.
The gatherings have promoted a strong feeling of camaraderie among aspiring authors, while also giving them the chance to make valuable connections with publishers, agents, and readers.
Kendah Jambi, a 23-year-old Saudi writer, told Arab News that despite taking part in other book fairs across the Kingdom, this was her first time at the Riyadh event.
“I think that participating in the Riyadh International Book Fair is important as it helps authors connect with their readers, especially as we really need constructive criticism, as authors and readers really like to see the people behind the books,” she said.
After the success of her first book “Al-Rahala” or “The Voyagers” in English, Jambi published a sequel titled “Al-Moarekh” or “The Historian,” which she is presenting at the fair.
“The Voyagers” tells the story of a group of people who develop their consciousnesses and travel through a multiverse.
Jambi said: “I decided to make my books a trilogy even before taking part in the Riyadh International Book Fair, yet the book fair helped in giving me more exposure and publicity as a writer, and the chance to meet current and prospective readers.”
By creating an environment that fosters learning and crafts, book fairs have become integral to the journey of young authors, providing them with invaluable experiences that shape their writing and career paths.
Malek Al-Saggaf, an 18-year-old writer, joined this year’s fair to showcase his first book, “The Concealed Facets of Us,” where every page is a story of its own.
“Previously, I participated in book fairs locally in Jeddah and Madinah, as well as regionally in Muscat and Cairo,” he said.
Al-Saggaf told Arab News that “The Concealed Facets of Us” is a poetry and self-help book that delves into different topics in life, such as dealing with relationships, friendships, depression and a vast array of emotions.
“I decided to write this book at a young age once I became aware that everybody is either going through something or is healing, so I asked myself how I can help these people.”
He added that the Riyadh event is one of the largest book fairs he has taken part in.
“It has provided me with a great deal of exposure, enough to propel my career as a writer.”
Whether attending panel discussions, taking part in writing workshops, or meeting their literary idols, writers can build passion, motivation and inspiration at the event, empowering them to pursue their dreams and make their mark on the literary scene.
Raghad Abdullah, 22, is a consultant for the Ministry of Culture and the author of a book titled “Baseerah” or “Insight” in English.
“I am not only a writer, but I also assist other aspiring authors to create their own books by guiding them through the process.”
Her book helps readers to collect data from their daily lives and transform the information into tangible processes to aid decision-making.
The cultural impact of the Riyadh International Book Fair on young authors cannot be understated. As they pave their way toward success, such an event serves as a stepping stone to hone their skills and provide them with the opportunities they need to flourish.
The fair is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight until Oct. 7.
Young Saudi authors shine at Riyadh book fair
https://arab.news/j8upe
Young Saudi authors shine at Riyadh book fair
- Event provides new writers exposure to publishers, agents and readers
- Kendah Jambi, a 23-year-old Saudi writer, told Arab News that despite taking part in other book fairs across the Kingdom, this was her first time at the Riyadh event
Jeddah exhibition gives internet cafes an artistic reboot
- Local artists revive communal, quirky, deeply human qualities of early web era
JEDDAH: Internet cafes in Jeddah were once popular spots with pay-by-the-hour internet access; they have now provided the inspiration for the city’s latest exhibition.
In a collaboration between Kham Space and Estiraha, 17 artists and collectives have had their work on display at “Internet Cafe,” an eight-day exhibition which explored the concept of connection and intimacy in the digital age.
Abeer Sultan, who curated the exhibition alongside Mbarak Madhi and Fai Ahmed, spoke to Arab News about the early process in contemplating the theme.
The idea for the exhibition, which concluded on Friday, stemmed from an exasperation over incessant scrolling, and the deluge of information that has usurped our daily lives.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The idea for the Jeddah exhibition stemmed from an exasperation over incessant scrolling, and the deluge of information that has usurped our daily lives.
• Some of the works were meant to act as ‘hyperlinks’ to connect ideas, as well as creating a communal space and mimicking the social space of a cafe.
She said: “We wanted to do something that is about us now, and maybe the future as well; not only going back to things for nostalgia or the good old days, as they say.
“Maybe it has something that we can use today, especially now that there’s a movement of people trying to slow down, using dumbified devices throughout the internet.”
Instead of creating a literal internet cafe, the curators focused more on the nuances a cybercafe used to have.
Their approach to the space was categorized into three themes: “Disconnected Understanding, Linked Source,” “In the Shadow of a Doubt, Light My Screen,” and “Whirling Algorithms of a Distant Dream.”
Artist Zahiyah Alraddadi, who usually paints works focusing on the significance of the mundane, took oil to canvas to paint “Closed Eyes Under a Sunny Sky I” and “Familiar Features.”
Her work feels meditative and was intended to slow visitors down as they walked through the space — much like the feel of a buffering screen page.
Some of the works were meant to act as “hyperlinks” to connect ideas, as well as creating a communal space and mimicking the social space of a cafe.
Anhar Salem’s work “After Now” was a curtain imprinted with thumbnails of YouTube videos. The artist conducted a survey asking people between the ages of 18 and 40 to share their YouTube video recommendations, making up a curtain of information overload.
Next to that, Tara O‛Conal’s video installation was a film sequence — but the catch is, nothing really happened. The film continued to load, glitch, and reload, perhaps suggesting commentary on our constant yearning for contact.
“Compared to Anhar’s work, (Tara’s) feels like a pawn, in a way, to look at,” Sultan said.
Some works were inspired by computer graphics. Asaad Badawi paid tribute to early programmer culture via telephone-book-inspired art, and his father, who is a programmer.
Studio bin Hattan, which is led by artist Elham Dawsari, displayed “Cultural Override,” derived from her father’s archives from the 1980s. Madhawi Al-Gwaiz paints in a style that echoes digital graphics from the early 2000s.
Others took a more distanced approach. ThirdSpace’s “Untitled Table” was a physical object, but the research behind it was about keyboards that then shifted to Hijazi architecture, drawing on the iconography and architectural languages across the history of the region.
Hayfa Al-Gwaiz’s “Long Distance” was a painted form of facetime video calls. The work explored digital intimacy by showcasing not the callers’ faces, but the ceilings above them — a scene that’s familiar to anyone who has taken up a long-winded video call with a loved one and set down the phone to cater to life’s more immediate demands.
While the exhibition tackled the digital boom personified through cybercafes, it notably avoided artificial intelligence.
Sultan explained: “It is the idea of being fast and efficient, which is what we are resisting with AI … It’s dominating the internet in a weird way, and we wanted a space where people customized things manually, going back to montadayat (domains) where people had to do things by themselves. There’s no template.”
The last piece was by Ahaad Alamoudi, and “Land of Dreams” took a humorous approach to directing audiences to their dreams. As you walked toward the work, in an outdoor area outside the confines of the exhibition space, visitors were met with foam boards of the iconic Emirati singer Ahlam.
Sultan said: “The work accentuates the fact that the dream land is a subjective experience or idea, and everyone would have their own imagination of what that is, whether it's Ahlam or something else.”
The “Internet Cafe” was a love letter to a new digital age — one that is sustainable, communal, and deliberately slow.
“This is our way of keeping in touch with other people. An exhibition space is also a space where people meet, even if it’s for a moment, to have these conversations together, which is really important,” Sultan said.
Rooted in earth: Rafha’s mud structures tell a story of sustainability
- The buildings were constructed using indigenous methods and natural materials including mud, stone, wood, and palm fronds
RIYADH: In the heart of northern Saudi Arabia, the mud buildings of Rafha stand as “a vibrant narrative of traditional architecture, reflecting authenticity, creativity, and cultural identity,” the Saudi Press Agency said in an article on Saturday.
These structures tell the story of an ancient past, “embodying traditional architectural ingenuity that connects people to the land.”
Located along one of the Kingdom’s most significant tourist routes, the buildings “integrate cultural heritage with the natural environment,” the SPA wrote, and “serve as living records of generational memory, preserved through architectural details.”
This makes them an appealing destination for anyone interested in history, heritage, and traditional craftsmanship.
FASTFACTS
• The buildings in Rafha were constructed using indigenous methods and natural materials including mud, stone, wood, and palm fronds.
• Local authorities are making efforts to restore and maintain these mud structures, preserving their historical and cultural value.
The buildings were constructed using indigenous methods and natural materials including mud, stone, wood, and palm fronds. Their design responds to the local environment, maintaining balanced indoor temperatures during scorching summers and cooler winters. Most feature an inner courtyard, surrounded by rooms arranged in a circular layout, reflecting a strong sense of community.
These mud buildings illustrate “a deep harmony between humans and their environment,” the SPA wrote, adding that they also “reflect sustainable building principles that long predate modern green architecture.”
Local authorities are making efforts to restore and maintain these mud structures, preserving their historical and cultural value while promoting them as distinct parts of the Saudi tourism landscape.
Malaysia grants Saudi Hajj minister Al-Rabiah 'Hijra Personality of the Year' award
- Tawfiq Al-Rabiah Al-Rabiah was presented with his award by Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim
KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah received the International Tokoh Ma’al Hijrah 2025 award in Malaysia on Friday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Malaysia grants the award — the name of which translates to Person of the Year for Hijrah — annually to an influential Muslim personality to recognize their contributions to Islamic causes.
Al-Rabiah won the award for his efforts in developing systems designed to make Hajj and Umrah run safely and smoothly for pilgrims.
Al-Rabiah was presented with his award by Malaysian King Sultan Ibrahim. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Minister of Religious Affairs Mohammed Naeem bin Mukhtar were present at the ceremony.
The event was held in Kuala Lumpur on the occasion of Hijri New Year.
Muslim World League condemns Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza, West Bank
- Organization describes actions as part of wider pattern of settler aggression
RIYADH: The Muslim World League on Saturday strongly condemned recent Israeli attacks on civilian shelters and ongoing violence against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The MWL has described the actions as part of a wider pattern of settler aggression carried out with impunity under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, the SPA added.
The MWL’s Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, who also chairs the Organization of Muslim Scholars, denounced in a statement issued by the MWL’s General Secretariat what he called “heinous crimes” committed against unarmed civilians, including recent attacks by settlers on the village of Kafr Malik, east of Ramallah.
He added that the “brutal assaults” were a “blatant violation of all human values as well as international laws and norms.”
He urged the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and take decisive action against what he described as the occupation government’s ongoing disregard for the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.
Al-Issa also called for the immediate activation of international mechanisms to halt the violence and ensure accountability for those responsible for what he termed “horrific massacres.”
His comments came after Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Friday condemning the violence, denouncing “the continued violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers, under the protection of the occupation forces, against Palestinian civilians, including the attacks in the village of Kafr Malik.”
Saudi, Hungarian officials discuss parliamentary ties
RIYADH: A Shoura Council delegation from the Saudi-Hungarian Parliamentary Friendship Committee concluded their official visit to Hungary, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
They met with the National Assembly speaker Laszlo Kover and members of the Hungarian counterpart committee to enhance parliamentary cooperation and strengthen ties between the two countries.
During the visit, the delegation met Hungarian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Magyar Levente, Minister of State for Water and Irrigation Zsolt Nemeth, officials from the Hungarian Ministry of Energy, and Saudi-Hungarian Business Council Co-chair Peter Karpati.
Hungarian officials stressed the importance of bilateral relations and appreciated the Kingdom's pioneering role. They also discussed ways to boost cooperation across various fields.
The delegation included committee chairman Ibrahim Al-Qannas and members Zaher Al-Shehri, Salem Al-Jarbou, Aisha Arishi, Abdulaziz Al-Jaloud, Fares Al-Osaimi, and Hisham Al-Faris. Saudi Ambassador to Hungary Majed Al-Abdan also attended the meetings.
