The 2012 Riyadh International Book Fair was opened Tuesday by Dr. Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, under the patronage of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. This year's fair will give awards to 10 distinguished books in different fields, allow e-publishing for books, open a virtual online book fair and showcase self-published Saudi authors, according to Dr. Nasser Al-Hejailan, Undersecretary for Cultural Affairs and general supervisor of the Book Fair. “Having different opinions is something normal because people are different. But this difference allows us to enjoy a wealth of information from different civilizations. The more we read about each other, the better we understand each other,” Al-Hejailan said. Sweden is guest of honor this year. Annika Rembe, Director General of the Swedish Institute, thanked Saudi Arabia for the hospitality and the chance to learn about Saudi culture through participation in this fair. Translation and exchange of literature enhances communication, she said. She pointed out that due to the large number of libraries in Sweden, works of research and innovation have increased there. The ceremony was attended by Prince Turki Bin Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information for Information Affairs and Dr. Abdullah Al-Jasser, Deputy Minister of Culture and Information.
