Subayyil, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Information for Cultural Affairs, has sent invitations to five women authors of Taif who had a “misunderstanding” with the former president of Taif Literary Club to attend the Saudi Literary Authors Conference that started Monday in Riyadh. The club's acting president Hammad Al-Salmi said the invitation included “attending the conference and participating and contributing in its programs.” The women said the invitation “restored hope in the image of the Saudi intellectual after it was deformed by some.” The women withdrew from the club's women committee after the former president criticized them in an article, after which they threatened of withdrawing unless the president resigns. Meanwhile, members from Abha Literary Club and authors from Asir expressed their surprise at not receiving invitations to the conference despite their intellectual and literary production, describing the invitations as having become “grants” as the chairman of the board of directors received two and the remaining were distributed over “people who have nothing to do with literature and some retirees.” “After the woes of financial corruption, we are screaming these days from administrational corruption. Favoritism led to some members believing cultural work is gains and privileges,” said member Ahmad Abdullah Al-Tayhani. – Okaz/SG Founder of a saloon in Taif __
