RIYADH – The Kingdom will spare no effort in enriching the cultural movement in the Arab World and making knowledge easily accessible to all strata of society, King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, said here Tuesday.
In his address to the first Arab Publishers Conference, read out by Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, the Monarch said the cultural event has been witnessing great Arab and international attention, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.
“I hope that this conference will be a genuine breakthrough toward an organized publication of Arab books that enriches our own cultural arena and fulfills the aspirations of our peoples to reach an advanced cultural level leading to construction and development,” the Monarch said.
King Abdullah hoped that the movement started by “our ancestors for the enhancement of culture would continue to enlighten our lives.”
“We look forward to reaching recommendations that support the cultural movement in the Arab World and overcome any obstacles,” the Monarch said.
The King also wished all success for the participants of the conference.
Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of King Faisal Research and Islamic Studies Center and Honorary President of the Saudi Publishers Society, quoted the Arab Thought Organization’s 2007 report saying that there is only one book for 12,000 Arab citizens.
Prince Turki urged all concerned parties to conduct accurate statistics on the production of printed Arab thought effective from 2010, adding that this issue should be given great attention by the Arab publishers union and regional unions.
He pointed out that according to the records of King Fahd National Library, 5,226 titles were registered in 1429 Hijra.
Ahmad Al-Hamdan, head of the Saudi Publishers Society, said the opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) as well as the King Abdullah Prize for Translation provide clear evidence of the attention given by the King to the Arab publishers conference.
He noted that the organization of the conference aims at reviewing the state of Arab publication as well as cultural development in the Arab World.
Al-Hamdan said the organization of the conference is a serious attempt to close Arab ranks from the cultural and intellectual side.
Dr. Mohammed Talat, Chairman of the Arab Publishers Union, noted that the union started its activities in the 1960s in line with a recommendation of an Arab League committee and that it was re-established in 1995 for the development of the publication industry in the Arab world.
Dr. Talat said the Arabic language plays a significant role as regards linking the sons of the Arab nation.
“The strength of Arabic is actually the strength of the Arab nation and vice versa,” he said.