THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ WILL PATRONIZE THE NEXT SESSION OF RIYADH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR TO BE ORGANIZED BY THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION ON FEBRUARY 27- MARCH 9, THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION IYAD BIN AMIN MADANI ANNOUNCED. IN A STATEMENT TO THE SAUDI PRESS AGENCY (SPA), HE EXPRESSED HIS PRIDE OF THE KING'S PATRONIZATION OF THE BOOK FAIR, NOTING THAT THIS PATRONIZATION COMES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE KING'S SUPPORT FOR ALL CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, INTELLECTUALS AND MEN OF LETTERS IN THE KINGDOM AND ABROAD. MADANI SAID, ''THANKS TO THE SUPPORT AND ATTENTION PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES TO RIYADH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR, IT BECOMES A GREAT CULTURAL EVENT AMONG FAMOUS INTERNATIONAL FAIRS''. THE MINISTER OF CULTURE AND INFORMATION POINTED OUT THAT PARTICIPATION IN THE FAIR INCLUDES16 COUNTRIES, MORE THAN 600 PUBLISHING HOUSES AND 70 MALE AND FEMALE RESEARCHERS FROM VARIOUS CONTINENTS ALONG WITH 200,000 TITLES OF LOCAL, ARAB AND INTERNATIONAL BOOKS, REFERENCES AND MANUSCRIPTS WILL BE ON DISPLAY. DURING THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY, 17 SAUDI POETS WILL BE HONORED, THE MINISTER SAID.
