National heritage will be ‘biggest driver’ of Saudi economy

RIYADH: National heritage will be the biggest driver of the economy under Saudi Vision 2030, said Prince Sultan bin Salman, special adviser to King Salman and founder and chairman of the nonprofit Al-Turath (Heritage) Foundation.

He was speaking at the foundation’s annual meeting held under the theme “Confident Steps Toward the Future” at the Riyadh International Book Fair, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

A documentary film about the foundation’s journey, highlighting its key initiatives and most important milestones, was screened.

Another film showed the launch, at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture in Dhahran, of the book “King Salman,” an Al-Turath Foundation initiative sponsored by Saudi Aramco to coincide with the 94th National Day.

Prince Sultan said that the book fair is a testament to the attention the Kingdom gives to culture and national heritage, which will become the biggest drivers of the economy.

The book, which Prince Sultan described as a gift to the nation, covers different stages in the life of King Salman alongside the Kingdom’s founder King Abdulaziz and other Saudi rulers.

Prince Sultan said that the Al-Turath Foundation has experienced continuous development since its establishment 28 years ago, printing books, conducting research, archiving historical photos, and documenting the nation’s history over the course of more than a quarter of a century.

Prince Sultan also spoke about the Al-Turath Foundation-produced documentary film “Okath Al-Badr,” which covers stories from the life of Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsen bin Abdulaziz.

The meeting was attended by Prince Turki Al-Faisal, founder and trustee of the King Faisal Foundation and chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies; Prince Faisal bin Salman, special adviser to King Salman and chairman of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives; Jerry Inzerillo, CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority; and several princes, officials, and ambassadors to the Kingdom.

The Riyadh International Book Fair, themed “Riyadh Reads” and featuring over 800 pavilions, is organized yearly by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission.

It began on Sept. 26 and runs until Oct. 5, with over 2,000 publishing houses from 30 countries participating. The schedule includes seminars, panel discussions, poetry recitals, stage performances, and workshops.