Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal will open on Thursday the second Jeddah International Book Fair at the land of festivals in South Obhur. As many as 450 publishing houses from 27 Arab, Islamic and other countries will participate in the 11-day exhibition. In addition to books on display, there will be a host of other concurrent activities in the fair, including lectures, seminars, workshops, theatrical shows, poetic nights and other events related to culture and publishing industry. Jeddah Governor Prince Mishal Bin Majed, who is the chairman of the organizing committee, said the fair will occupy and area of 21,500 square meters. He revealed that publishers from Pakistan, Oman, Germany and Malaysia will participate in the fair for the first time. «The fair will present culture in its most brilliant form reflecting Jeddah›s civilizational heritage,» he said. Prince Mishal said the fair will have more than a million books covering all types of knowledge, including literature, culture, science, sociology, finance and others. «The fair will create a harmonized blend of cultural mobility that will enhance knowledge and boost cultural exchange,» he said. The prince called for making the event a success and asked for concerted efforts to make the fair an occasion that will serve the industry of culture and publishing.
