DHAHRAN: King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra, will be present at two of the most prominent cultural events in Asia this summer.
The events are the Beijing International Book Fair, which will be held from June 19-23, and the Seoul International Book Fair, which will be held from June 26-30.
This participation is part of Ithra’s wider mission to promote cross-cultural exchange, raise awareness and foster understanding through knowledge-sharing.
This book tour will also launch the Mandarin and Korean versions of “Al-Mu’allaqat for Millennials,” a collection of 10 pre-Islamic Arabic qasidahs, or odes, each considered among the most important pieces penned by Arab poets of the 6th century.
The selection represents a shining example of early Arabic poetry. The book is intended to educate new generations about the social and philosophical values of those ancient poems.
Ithra Library will showcase its status as one of the largest and most technologically advanced in the Middle East and solidify itself as a world-class destination for readers from around the globe, offering a variety of resources and tools.
“Ithra is a cultural landmark not just in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but across the Arab World and the globe as well,” Tariq Khawaji, cultural advisor to Ithra, said.
“Our goal at BIBF and SIBF is to expand our reach and encourage greater collaboration, cultural exchange and knowledge sharing. Our presence here serves as a window into our offering, our country and our culture. We are excited to share and start conversations that lead to deeper understanding and continued positive cultural exchange.
“Last year, the Ithra Library had over 700,000 visitors. We successfully conducted more than 100 reading club sessions, 15 programs, and around 175 cultural sessions,” added Khawaji.
“Our library’s programs are not exclusive to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he continued. “Some of our initiatives now take place in seven cities across the globe and we are hoping to expand that further.”
The Beijing fair, now the second largest book fair in the world, attracts more than 2,600 exhibitors from more than 100 countries and regions every year.
The Seoul fair has been South Korea’s largest book fair for around 70 years and is considered an important platform in the publishing industry.
Ithra Library, housed within the headquarters of Ithra in Dhahran, is a four-story structure, covering more than 6,000 square meters, and is home to over 340,000 books in English and Arabic.
The library applies the latest technologies and tools, including RFID technology that streamlines book borrowing, as well as a smart book returning and sorting system. The library offers free internet, and supplies interested parties with computers for research and study purposes.
The first digitally integrated library in the Kingdom, Ithra’s Digital Library serves as a digital haven of over 50,000 free e-books and audiobooks available to book lovers from across the globe, as well as over 7,000 newspapers and magazines available in 60 languages.
