Riyadh: The Riyadh International Book Fair 2025, organized by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, has evolved into a global gathering for book lovers and cultural explorers. Visitors meander through the fair's pavilions like travelers, their bags brimming with books and memorabilia, a vivid testament to the event's standing as one of the region's most prominent cultural happenings.
According to Saudi Press Agency, among the attendees is Ahmed Abdel Samad, a young Moroccan who journeyed from Casablanca specifically for the fair. He shared his experience, saying, "I came planning to buy just 10 books, but ended up with over 40." He added that he took full advantage of the fair's international shipping service after struggling with excess baggage at the airport last year. With a smile, he said, "These books will be my companions in Casablanca's caf©s and on train rides. They're my true souvenirs from Riyadh."
In another part of the fair, Korean student Sohee Kim shared her excitement: "I came to Riyadh to learn Arabic from original texts. The prices here are better, and there are books I can't find in Korea." She proudly revealed that she purchased more than 15 books on classical Arabic literature and dictionaries.
Saudi visitor Ali Madkhali, who traveled over 1,000 kilometers from Jizan, mentioned that he sets aside around SAR3,000 each year for his reading. He laughed as he added, "My children joke about the large number of books I bring home, but they always end up reading them all."
Salem Al-Mansouri, visiting from the UAE with his family, emphasized that the Riyadh Book Fair offers more than just a marketplace for books; it's an all-encompassing cultural space that blends literature, intellectual discourse, and art. He highlighted the fair's wide range of activities, noting that it stands apart from other regional book fairs.
As visitors roam the fair's aisles and pavilions, their suitcases become portable libraries, and the books they collect serve as lasting mementos of their cultural journey from Riyadh to the rest of the world.