Ithra Promotes Cultural Exchange in East Asia
Book fair tour punctuated by launch of Al-Muʿallaqāt for Millennials in Mandarin and Korean
Dhahran – Asdaf News:
King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) will continue its mission of promoting cross-cultural exchange, awareness and understanding through knowledge sharing during its participation in Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) being held June 19-23 in the Chinese capital, and the Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) taking place on June 26-30 in Seoul, Korea.
Emblematic of its mission and highlighting its presence at two of the most prominent cultural events in Asia will be the launch of Mandarin and Korean versions of Al-Muʿallaqāt for Millennials, a collection of ten pre-Islamic Arabic qaṣīdahs (odes), each considered to be the best piece of the most famous Arab poets of the 6th century. The selection originally enjoys a unique position in Arabic literature, representing the finest of early Arabic poetry. The book is intended to educate new generations about the human, aesthetic, and philosophical values of these ancient poems, and to share knowledge through language aimed at various reading levels.
Beijing International Book Fair, now the second largest in the world, attracts more than 2600 exhibitors from more than 100 countries and regions every year. BIBF has become a large-scale international publishing exchange event covering books, digital, animation and other industries. Another leading literary event in Asia, SIBF has been Korea’s largest book fair for around 70 years and is considered an important platform for all facets of the Korean publishing industry.
An exhibitor at BIBF, Ithra Library will showcase its status as one of the largest and most technologically advanced in the Middle East and a world-class destination for readers from around the globe offering a variety of resources, tools and engaging experiences.
Ithra Library is a four-story structure covering more than 6,000 square meters and is home to over 340,000 books in English and Arabic. The library applies the latest technologies and tools, including RFID technology that makes borrowing books a breeze, as well as a smart book returning and sorting system, free internet, and computers for research and study purposes. The first digitally integrated library in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ithra’s Digital Library serves as a digital haven of over 50,000 free e-books and audiobooks available to book lovers from across the globe, as well as over 7,000 newspapers and magazines available in 60 languages.
“Ithra is a cultural landmark not just in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but across the Arab World and the globe as well,” said Tariq Khawaji, Cultural Advisor to Ithra. “Our goal at BIBF and SIBF is to expand our reach and encourage greater collaboration, cultural exchange and knowledge sharing. Our presence here serves as a window into our offering, our country and our culture. We are excited to share and start conversations that lead to deeper understanding and continued positive cultural exchange.”
“Last year, the Ithra Library had over 700,000 visitors. We successfully conducted more than 100 reading club sessions, 15 programs, and around 175 cultural sessions,” added Khawaji. “Our Library’s programs are not exclusive to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Some of our initiatives now take place in seven cities across the globe and we are hoping to expand that further.”
