Dr. Abdulaziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, described the third Saudi Literary Authors Conference as a “gathering for dialogue in literature and genre to spread the values of righteousness and aesthetics.” The minister was speaking at the opening of the event here Monday. “Saudi woman intellectual will have a great esteem in the future,” he said. “The period between the first conference [in 1974] and this one is vast. Many changes have taken place during the past four decades,” he said. “These changes are considered a fundamental transformation of our cultural life. The circles of literature and writing have widened in all disciplines, the woman writer has strongly emerged, new criticism methods have been invented and new prose has come to life, the burst of the Saudi novel, and the emergence of what can be called “electronic literature and the occurrence of new tools in literary writing,” the minister said. “Can we draw forth our literature young and new? Can it steadfast in a world thronged with forms and values?” Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Subayyil, chairman of the organizing committee of the conference, said the conference will be held every two years under the patronage of the King and the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Information. “The committee decided to give the conference the title “Saudi Literature: Issues and Trends” for a wider subject.” A book fair is coinciding with the conference, he said, noting that participants “include researchers from remote areas and poets representing different regions. Each of them has their own vision and ideas, but are united by literature and culture and creativity, with Shariah principles being their guidance.” Khairiyah Al-Saqqaf, delivering the speech on behalf of the participants, said there were many challenges which require enthusiasm with human being, their life, feeling and motivation, intellect and culture are the essence of it. “This conference focuses on local affairs in terms of cultural institutions, electronic mediums of literature, childern's literature, literary journalism, and what have been translated into other languages and what have been subjected to the new criticism and creativity.” Khoja honored a number of pioneers and former heads of literary clubs.
