Riyadh Book Fair Opens

Online, March 2, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Riyadh
Riyadh International Book Fair, the premier show for the publishing industry in the Arab World opened today at Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Cetre "RICEC".

The show, which will be held from March 1 to 11, 2011, at RICEC, is being organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information and will see a packed schedule of events.

"We know the popularity of Riyadh Book Fair from our past experience and are all set to host this important event at RICEC utilizing best of our facilities, services and professional skills," said Mr. Mohammed Al Shaya, Managing Director of RICEC, who looks after requirements of this mega event from the venue's side.

"There is good co-ordination between RICEC and the Ministry of Information and Culture to ensure that the arrangements made for all the programmes are adequate. Based on our past experience, we expect to have over 35,000 visitors a day and this number could even be much larger," said Mr Al Shaya.

Arrangements are also in place at RICEC to facilitate face to face interactions between all working in publishing sector, including authors, publishers and professionals, he said.

The show has also feature lectures, symposiums and other cultural activities, apart from four book-signing platforms.

"The Ministry has chosen the best timing for the fair considering all the aspects, including the avoidance of clash with other international book fairs. This will ensure that we receive high-quality publishers to present their titles at the show," Mr Al Shaya said.

Observers also feel that the suspension of the Cairo Book Fair has helped in attracting more publishers and visitors to the Riyadh Book Fair. The Cairo fair, the oldest such fair in the Arab World, was to be opened on January 28, 2011, but was suspended due to the recent political events in Egypt.

"We understand the needs of organizing such a large event and the Ministry of Information and Culture also understands how to use our facilities to optimize the convenience for the participants. This synergy and chemistry between the two entities have developed a great working environment and understanding," Mr Al Shaya said.

"The show will run from 10am to 10pm without a break, and this will enable us to receive a large number of visitors to this very popular event," he said. "We have observed that this event is a big attraction to all the segments of the society, including families. Parents and children attend this event with different requirements in mind to explore the world of books and knowledge."
"The exhibition will occupy all the display space available at the Centre. Additionally, the auditorium, which can accommodate over a thousand people, will be engaged in holding lectures," Mr Al Shaya said.

Equipped with a column-free floor space of 15,000 square metres, a convention centre and a host of other facilities, RICEC is one of the best and largest venues in KSA for events of any size and scope, especially one like the book fair that sees nearly a thousand exhibitors, tens of thousands of visitors, and several other activities.

RICEC, the exhibition and convention facility owned and operated by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is spread across 189,000 square metres of land area and a location that offers easy access.

"Accessibility, adaptability, conference facilities, communication infrastructure, parking facility, security features and other related services are important elements that are key to the success of any large scale event. RICEC fully meets all these requirements and that too as per international standards," said RICEC CEO Mr. Abdullah Al Omran.

"Large scale events which are already utilizing the entire available space such as Riyadh International Book Fair provide us with enough reason to add more indoor space in near future. We are working on our development plan to ensure that we continue to support the growth of large scale events in Riyadh." Mr. Al Omran said.

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