Saudi Arabia has opened its pavilion at the Moscow International Book Fair, presenting the Kingdom’s literary, intellectual and cultural output to Russian and international audiences while seeking to expand cooperation with Russia in publishing, translation and knowledge exchange.
The Kingdom’s participation is being led by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission during the 39th edition of the fair, which runs from Sept. 2 to 6 at Gostiny Dvor.
The event brings together more than 300 publishing houses from Russia and other countries and features more than 400 sessions, including author meetings, professional discussions and new book presentations.
Saudi Publishing Takes Center Stage
Saudi Arabia’s participation reflects its growing efforts to strengthen the international presence of its publishing and literary sectors and introduce Saudi intellectual and creative production to wider global audiences.
Abdullatif Al-Wasel, CEO of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, said the participation reflects the longstanding cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Russia and provides an opportunity to showcase the Kingdom’s literary and intellectual developments to Russian and international visitors.
The pavilion also highlights the growing diversity of Saudi Arabia’s intellectual and creative scene under the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030.
Publishing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
This year’s book fair places particular emphasis on the future of publishing in the age of artificial intelligence, reflecting the rapid transformation taking place across the book industry and the wider content ecosystem.
For Saudi Arabia, the focus provides an opportunity to engage with international discussions surrounding technology’s impact on publishing while strengthening cooperation in literature, translation and the exchange of expertise.
The Kingdom is also seeking to create new opportunities with Russian and international institutions, expand knowledge-sharing channels and bring Saudi literary and cultural content to new audiences.
National Institutions Represented at the Saudi Pavilion
The Saudi pavilion brings together a wide range of government bodies and cultural and knowledge institutions, including the King Fahd National Library, King Abdulaziz Public Library, King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries and the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives.
Other participating institutions include the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an, King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue and Prince Mohammed bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy.
The broad institutional representation reflects the diversity of Saudi Arabia’s cultural landscape, bringing together literature, publishing, heritage, knowledge and specialized cultural organizations.
Poetry Evenings and Cultural Discussions
The Saudi participation also features an accompanying cultural program of panel discussions and poetry evenings involving Saudi writers and intellectuals.
The sessions explore literature, publishing and translation while highlighting Saudi cultural achievements and the Kingdom’s growing international cultural presence.
The events also provide opportunities for direct interaction between Saudi authors and cultural figures and Russian audiences, strengthening cultural dialogue and mutual understanding.
Princess Nourah University Presents 89 Titles
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University is participating through its Deanship of Scientific Research and Libraries, showcasing approximately 89 titles produced by university faculty and researchers.
The publications cover a broad range of disciplines, including health sciences, design and the arts, humanities and social sciences, and engineering.
The university said its participation aims to highlight its contribution to knowledge dissemination and academic publishing while creating opportunities for research cooperation and cultural exchange with international institutions.
Expanding Saudi Culture’s Global Reach
Saudi Arabia’s presence at the Moscow International Book Fair forms part of broader efforts by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission to strengthen the Kingdom’s cultural presence at major international events and support national initiatives involving books, authors and publishing.
By combining literary exhibitions, cultural programming and international partnerships, Saudi Arabia is using global cultural events as platforms for knowledge exchange and for expanding the reach of Saudi content.
The Moscow participation also reflects the Kingdom’s interest in strengthening cultural ties with Russia and creating new opportunities for Saudi publishers, translators and cultural institutions to engage with international audiences.
