Global InformationRiyadh International Book Fair information
| Riyadh International Book Fair | |
|---|---|
 Logo | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Multi-genre |
| Begins | Tuesday (an opening day, not open to the general public)[1] |
| Ends | Saturday (the 10th day, not counting the opening day)[a] |
| Frequency | Annually, in mid-March to April |
| Venue | Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center |
| Location(s) | Riyadh |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Organized by | Ministry of Culture |
| Website | https://bookfairs.moc.gov.sa/ |
The Riyadh International Book Fair (RIBF) is an annual book fair in Saudi Arabia. It lasts 11 days[5] and regularly attracts over a half million visitors (it is not the largest fair in the MENA region,[6] contrary to some claims[7]). The fair is used to showcase Saudi government policy,[8][9] and it has been a locus of political power struggles with the government.[10] Hundreds of publishers sell pre-approved books,[5] and some black-market books.[9] Writers take part in literary events. Invited speakers and the public discuss intellectual and social issues. Disagreements sometimes go beyond the bounds of debate, with speakers being shouted down and surrounded by protestors,[4] and arrests of speakers and protestors;[b] physical assaults are rare but not unknown.[11]
The fair is a focus for political conflict in Saudi Arabia,[10] though some local media sources deny there is political debate.[12] The fair is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information,[10][13] and has been regulated by the religious police; the two have clashed at the fair,[14][10][13] and religious police have been limited to more advisory roles.[15] Some Saudi clerics issued a fatwa criticizing the book fair during the 2012 fair.[10] Journalist Jamal Khashoggi said of the intellectual climate: "It's like McCarthyism in the 1950s".[11]
The fair has been both praised and criticized domestically for providing books and cultural activities which are hard to come by in Saudi Arabia,[10] and criticized internationally for selling anti-semitic and misogynistic books.[16][17][18] Parts of the fair are gender-segregated.[c]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
alarabiya_2011was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Visit to International Book Fair: #Riyadh". Voice of Sudhnoti. 14 March 2015.
- ^ "Riyadh International Book Fair". ACCUCOMS.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
2006_1_jeanswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
rocketwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Williams, Mark (24 February 2019). "As western publishers look the other way millions attend Arab book fairs in February". The New Publishing Standard.
- ^ "Riyadh International Bookfair 2018". Eye of Riyadh. 1 March 2018. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
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CPJwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Suleiman Shoqiran, Fahad (25 March 2018). "Debate over intellectual freedoms and rights in Saudi Arabia". english.alarabiya.net. (author with close ties to Saudi-government-controlled media, not an independent source)
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