يبدو أنّ الوضع المادي للكُتّاب والأدباء والصحفيين، يدفعهم للتفاؤل بمعارض الكُتب، كونها مظنّة دعوات مدفوعة التكلفة، تذاكر سفر وتنقّل، وسكن وإعاشة، إلا أن إغلاق معرض كتاب الرياض هذا العام باب المكافآت، والتقشف في بعض المصروفات الخاصة بالدعوات، إضافة إلى ضعف البرامج الثقافية المصاحبة أثار حفيظة البعض. «عكاظ» استطلعت آراء عدد من المثقفين، لنقل رؤيتهم، حول قضايا عدة ومواضيع تتكالب على الطرح في عُرس خير جليس؛ ويرى المستشار الإعلامي عبدالعزيز العيد أنه: لا بد من الإقرار بأن أي معرض كتاب موسمي، ينتقل من مدينة إلى أخرى؛ يحتاج جهداً يبدأ من الصفر، ما يجعل التجربة فقيرة ومليئة بالملاحظات التي تؤكد حرص الجمهور على جودة المعرض، وكما تعكس مبيعاته القوة الشرائية لزواره، فيجب أن يكون مستوى التمثيل للتنظيم في علو وسمعة المملكة، التي منحت الثقافة في رؤيتها 2030 مكانة سامقة بكل تفرعاتها.
وذهب إلى أنّ معرض هذا العام جاء مكانه في جامعة الأميرة نورة، وأضاف زحاماً إلى زحام الجامعة سواءً عبر السيارات أو الحافلات، أو عبر محطات المترو التابعة للجامعة، لافتاً إلى أنه بمُضي الأيام، يمكن تدارك بعض الأخطاء، خصوصاً في النقل الترددي، وتخصيص مسار للحافلات، كي لا تكون عالقة في زحمة سيارات الزوار.
وأوضح العيد أن الزائر يشعر بالارتياح ما إن يدخل المعرض، بحكم الممرات الواسعة، والتكييف الممتاز، مروراً بدورات المياه النظيفة، والمصليات الكافية، مؤكداً أن الأسعار يمكن ضبطها، شأن ضبط البيع الرقمي، إذ لم يعد البيع النقدي مسموحاً، فيما أشاد بجهود الأدلاء في أروقة المعرض. ودعا إلى مراجعة البرنامج الثقافي لمنع تكرار الأسماء، وعدّ تقليص المكافآت، ونقص الضيافة من إعاشة ووجبات وتذاكر، ومنع مكافأة المشاركة، لا تليق مطلقاً بسمعة المعرض، الذي كلف ملايين الريالات، ويتوقف عند مبالغ لا تتجاوز المليون، خصوصاً أن الضيوف من داخل الرياض، سيأخذون مكافأة المشاركة فقط. وأضاف: سمعتُ أكثر من ضيف، يقول «يبغوني أشارك بلاش!!»
وقدّم العيد مقترحات منها: أن تقوم وزارة الثقافة بتملّك أرض، وإنشاء مقر معارض صالح للكتاب وغيره في مكان مناسب في الرياض، ويتسع لمواقف سيارات كافية، وتقوم بتثبيت معرض الكتاب فيه، كما تقوم باستثماره طوال العام وتأجيره للجهات المستفيدة.
وذهب الكاتب علي مكي إلى أن الزخم الثقافي الذي تعيشه المملكة، يدفع إلى التزامن في أكثر من فعاليّة ثقافية في أنحاء المملكة التي تعيش حالة من الامتلاء الإبداعي، إذ تتحرك الفعاليات الكبرى في وقت واحد لتأكيد أن الثقافة السعودية لم تعد محصورة في العاصمة وحدها، بل تتوزع بين المركز والأقاليم. هذا التوزيع يمنح صورة جميلة عن تنوّع الجغرافيا الثقافية وثراء مصادرها. كما يفتح باباً أمام النقاد والمهتمين لقراءة المشهد بوصفه مشهداً متكاملاً، متعدد الأصوات والأنماط.
وأرجع التزامن بين معرض الرياض الدولي للكتاب ومهرجان القصيدة الوطنية في جمعية أدبي جازان، إلى إشكاليات، كون معرض الرياض للكتاب بطبيعته هو الحدث الأضخم والأكثر جذباً للإعلام العربي والدولي، ما يجعل أي فعالية أخرى تقام في ذات الوقت مهددة بأن يُسحب البساط من تحتها إعلامياً وجماهيرياً، ويضاعف من صعوبة حضور الشعراء والنقاد بين الفعاليتين، ويجعل بعضهم في موقع الاختيار بين المشاركة هنا أو هناك، ما يضعف الحضور النوعي لمهرجان جازان الشعري تحديداً. ويرى مكي أنّ المعضلة ليست في كثرة الفعاليات، بل في غياب التنسيق بينها. فلو وُزِّعت المواعيد بعناية، لكان لكل فعالية مساحتها الكاملة للظهور والتميز، ولأتيح للجمهور والمهتمين أن يعيشوا التجربتين على التوالي بدل الاضطرار إلى التضحية بإحداهما. ولم يستبعد الروح الايجابية للتزامن متمثلة في الحيوية، إن كانت نابعة من رؤية تكاملية، لا من اجتهادات تشتيت، وعدّ حُسنَ إدارة الروزنامة الثقافية الوطنية ضرورة، كي لا تبدو بوصلة الفعاليات وكأنها فقدت اتجاهها!
فيما أكد الشاعر ياسر الأطرش أنّ دعوة المثقفين من داخل المملكة وخارجها مهم جداً، ولا يراه مسألة «تجميلية»، كون مشاركة المثقفين والمبدعين في إحياء نشاطات ثقافية مصاحبة للمعرض، فعلٌ ثقافي مهم وأساسي، لناحية تعزيز التفاعل بين المنتِج والمتلقي من جهة، واختبار ثقافة المنتِج وأصالته واكتشاف أنساقه المضمرة من جهة أخرى، ولفت إلى أنّ هناك أدباء يثرون الحالة الثقافية الراهنة والمستقبليّة، وهؤلاء «يجب دعوتهم»، من أمثال: الكتّاب الذين لهم إصدارات جديدة مميزة في المعرض، والكتّاب أصحاب المشاريع الثقافية المتكاملة، وكذلك الكتّاب الإشكاليون، لكي نحاول وصل ما انقطع بين المختلفين عليهم، والوقوف على حقيقة منتجهم، هل هو معرفي جديد متحدٍّ، أو استعراضي بهدف إثارة الانتباه والتسويق!
وتطلّع إلى عدم تكرار الأسماء، لخلق فرص لمن يستحق (إلا في حالات محددة تجعل تكرار الاسم مضيفاً للمشهد).
وعدّ البرامج الثقافية المصاحبة لمعرض الرياض في نسخته الحالية، جيدة من ناحية شموليتها، إذ تجمع الإبداع إلى السياسة إلى الفلسفة إلى التاريخ، كون الثقافة كلّاً معرفيّاً تضم كل النشاطات البشرية، ويرى أن بعض ورشات العمل تقدم محتوى زائفاً في بعض العناوين.. فكيف لنا أن نقبل ورشة تزعم أنها تعلمنا أسرار الكتابة الأدبية في ساعة؟! كون المعرض ليس ساحة لهكذا نشاطات؛ لأنّها تتطلب دراسة معمقة ووقتاً مدروساً ومنهجاً واضحاً، مؤكداً أن معرض الرياض وثيقة عبور لمن يشارك في نشاطاته النوعية، فيجب ألا تُمنح هذه الوثيقة إلا لمن يستحقها.
ويذهب الشاعر حسن القرني لا إلى أنّ الدعوات ليست مهمة ولا ضرورية للمثقف؛ إلا إنّها حاجة من أجل الظهور والتواصل المباشر مع الجمهور والإجابة عن أسئلتهم ومناقشتهم حول الأفكار والكتب والمشاريع العامة والخاصة للمثقف المنتج للثقافة والمنظّر لها؛ مؤكداً أنه في الغالب ما تقف معارض الكتب على المؤلف، فعندما تأتي بالدور والكتب فستأتي بمؤلفيها وصنّاعها بالضرورة؛ ليتحدثوا ويعرضوا أفكارهم ورؤاهم وتجاربهم.
ولفت القرني إلى أنّ المعرض يقام كل عام بمشهد ثقافي حاضر وقضايا عالمية وإقليمية راهنة ومتغيرة؛ ما يفرض أن يتم اختيار الموضوعات للندوات والأماسي الثقافية المصاحبة على هذا الأساس؛ تفادياً لأن تكون ومعرضك الذي يمثلك ويقدمك للعالم؛ خارج المشهد تماماً؛ بلا نبض ولا حياة، ويرى من إشكالية المعرض، تغلغل مجموعة بعلاقاتها ورؤاها وتوجيهاتها واستشاراتها في مفاصل القرار الثقافي، مضيفاً: يكفي أن تطّلع على برنامج المعرض العام الفائت وتقارن، ولفت إلى أنه عندما كانت وزارة الثقافة قائمة على برامجها بشكل مباشر؛ كان المثقف يخاطبها وينتقدها مباشرة؛ وكان الأمر مُثاقفة بحتة بين رأي وآخر؛ فيما اختلف الأمر بدخول رأس المال، وأصبحت الفكرة ربحاً وخسارةً، ما انعكس تماماً على أسعار الكتب، ناهيك عن الضيف الذي يُدعى بناءً على (الشو)، فلم تعد القيمة الثقافية هي الركيزة، بل مقدار المسافة من الشبّاك، وأضاف، يمكن للضيف أن يلمس ذلك حينما يجد نفسه في مقعد اقتصادي في مؤخرة الطائرة، وتكفل له وجبة واحدة في الفندق، ومشاركة بلا مقابل، وخدمات أقل، مؤكداً أنّ صناعة برنامج ثقافي مهم وراهن وعظيم، ويحتاج إلى طبيعة ثقافية كاملة، بعيداً عن لغة رأس المال، وإن كان مهماً وضرورياً، في نطاق الدعاية والإعلان والرعايات مثلاً؛ لا التدخل في هيكلة المادة الثقافية المقدمة للعالم.
غياب أدباء يثير التساؤلات
تساءل عدد من زوار معرض الكتاب عن غياب أسماء لا يستغني عن حضورها أي معرض، منهم الروائي عبده خال، و تساءل الكاتب الدكتور حمود أبو طالب، عن سبب مُقنع لتجاهل اسم من أبرز الشخصيات الثقافية في الوطن؟.
نمطية البرنامج الثقافي
أجمع مثقفون حضروا معرض الكتاب على نمطية البرنامج الثقافي لمعرض هذا العام، و كأنه صورة مستنسخة من برامج معارض سابقة، وعده البعض ضعف رؤية، أو تعبئة جداول للاستهلاك.
ناشرون لا يعتنون بمحتوى الكتب
رصد الناقد الدكتور حسن النعمي، مفارقة أن بعض دور النشر لا تعرف تفاصيل ما حضرت به من كُتب، و أخرى لم تصحح الكتاب بل طبعته بأخطائه التي بعث بها إليهم المؤلف.
أكاديمي يقدم أكثر من ندوة
لاحظ متابعون للبرنامج الثقافي، أن أحد الأسماء الأكاديمية كرّس نفسه في أكثر من فعالية، بل ويغرد بتقديم أكثر من ندوة، ما يؤكد أن المجاملات طغت على إعداد البرامج واختيار الأسماء.
أحمد قِران: البرنامج الثقافي لا يعني توزيع ندوات على أسماء مكررة
يرى أستاذ الإعلام السياسي الدكتور أحمد قِران؛ وبحكم خبرات سابقة في معارض الكُتب، أنه حين تفتح أبواب معارض يتدفق إليها جمهور واسع من القراء والكتاب والناشرين والمثقفين، ليتحول المعرض إلى عرس ثقافي، إلا أن البعض يرون أن ما يسمى «البرنامج الثقافي» المرافق لهذه المعارض لا يرقى أحياناً إلى مستوى التطلعات، ويؤكد أن الاتهام الأبرز الذي يوجّه له هو أنه غير عادل: تهيمن عليه أسماء بعينها، وتستبعد فئات أخرى، فيتحول المنبر الثقافي إلى مساحة ضيقة، لا تعكس تنوع المجتمع ولا حيوية الساحة الثقافية والفكرية والأدبية.
وذهب قِرّان إلى أن العدالة في البرنامج الثقافي، لا تعني فقط توزيع الجلسات على أكثر عدد ممكن من الكتاب بعضهم مكرر في دورات سابقة، بل تعني قبل ذلك وضع معايير واضحة وشفافة تضمن مشاركة أطياف مختلفة من المبدعين والباحثين، وتفتح المجال أمام الشباب والأسماء الصاعدة، والتجارب الثقافية الفاعلة.
وعدّ من العدالة في البرنامج الثقافي، أن يجد زائر المعرض فعالية للأطفال، وندوة نقدية للفكر والفلسفة، وأن يحضر أمسية شعرية كما يحضر ورشة عن النشر الرقمي وحقوق المؤلف، ويكون المعرض مرآة للمجتمع بكل فئاته وأطيافه ومجالاته، لا مجرد انعكاس لرؤية ضيقة أو ذائقة خاصة.
وعدّ المملكة قارة مترامية الأطراف وتزخر بأسماء وتجارب ثقافية كبيرة ومتنوعة، لكنها محرومة من حضور الحدث الثقافي المهم، وتطلّع إلى أن تفعل وزارة الثقافة مع المثقفين كما تفعل وزارة الرياضة مع الرياضيين حينما توجه لهم دعوات في مناسباتها الكبيرة، وكما تفعل الهيئة العامة للترفيه مع الفنانين والإعلاميين والمثقفين في الأنشطة الثقافية. وأكد أن الدعوات تُنبئ عن مكانة المدعو واحترام الجهة له ولمكانته، موضحاً أن وزارة الثقافة والإعلام حرصت سابقاً على دعوة عدد كبير من المثقفين من مختلف مناطق المملكة لحضور فعاليات معرض الكتاب، وكانت الوزارة توفر لهم كل ما يعكس التقدير لمكانتهم، من تذاكر السفر والإقامة المميزة إلى الاستقبال والتنقلات، ما خلق حالة من الاحتفاء الحقيقي بالمثقفين وتقدير مكانتهم، وأوجد فرص التواصل بين الأجيال المختلفة، وتنشيط الحوارات الثقافية، وزيادة زخم الفعاليات المصاحبة للمعرض بما تضيفه من نقاشات ومداخلات تثري المشهد الثقافي كله.
وطالب بأن تتسع المنصات لمناقشة القضايا المعاصرة: من الذكاء الاصطناعي في النشر، إلى مستقبل الثقافة الرقمية، إلى قضايا الهوية، لا أن تظل محصورة في موضوعات تقليدية لا تجذب إلا شريحة محدودة، مشيراً إلى أن التجارب العالمية في معارض الكتب الكبرى؛ ومنها فرانكفورت أو الدار البيضاء أو معرض القاهرة، تُظهر أن نجاح البرنامج الثقافي يرتبط أساساً بقدرته على أن يكون ملتقى حقيقياً للنقاش والحوار والتفاعل.
لافتاً إلى أن الجمهور لا يذهب للمعرض فقط لشراء الكتب، بل ليجد نفسه في قلب النقاشات، وليشعر أن صوته حاضر وأن اهتماماته تتحقق، والتفاعل يُلمس بين الكبار والشباب، الرجال والنساء، المركز والأطراف، الورقي والرقمي، الشعر والرواية والفلسفة والعلوم، فيغدو معرض الكتاب مساحة وطنية جامعة، ولحظة ثقافية تعكس حيوية المجتمع السعودي بكل أطيافه.
تفاعل وشفافية رئيس هيئة الأدب عبداللطيف الواصل
حظيت متابعة وتفاعل رئيس هيئة الأدب والنشر والترجمة الدكتور عبداللطيف الواصل بإعجاب وإشادة مثقفين وأدباء، وأبدى زوار ونقاد لبعض فعاليات المعرض امتناناً لشفافية الواصل؛ التي أثبت من خلالها أن العمل الثقافي تفاعلي بين المنتج والمُسوّق والمُتلقّي، وأثبت الدكتور الواصل عبر ردوده على منصة (X) أنه إداري متحضّر، وقادر على استيعاب جميع الملاحظات، ومعالجة القصور وتصحيح الأخطاء غير المقصودة بالطبع، ولعلّ هذا النموذج الذي حضر هذا العام بكل رحابة الصدر يعزز فرص النجاح والقبول بالشراكات مع متخصصين وخبرات.
ثقافة وفن
لسان حال مثقفين: «يبغونا نشارك بلاش»
مكافآت معرض الكتاب شحيحة وبرنامجه فقير
10 أكتوبر 2025 - 03:24
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آخر تحديث 10 أكتوبر 2025 - 03:24
علي فايع (أبها) alma33e@، علي الرباعي (الباحة) Al_ARobai@
It seems that the financial situation of writers, authors, and journalists drives them to be optimistic about book fairs, as they are seen as opportunities for paid invitations, travel tickets, accommodation, and living expenses. However, the closure of the Riyadh Book Fair this year to bonuses, along with austerity in some expenses related to invitations, in addition to the weakness of accompanying cultural programs, has raised the ire of some. "Okaz" surveyed the opinions of several intellectuals to convey their views on various issues and topics that are clamoring for discussion at the celebration of the best companion; media consultant Abdulaziz Al-Aid believes that it is necessary to acknowledge that any seasonal book fair that moves from one city to another requires effort that starts from scratch, which makes the experience poor and full of observations that confirm the public's concern for the quality of the fair. As reflected in its sales, the purchasing power of its visitors should be high, and the level of representation for the organization should be elevated to match the reputation of the Kingdom, which has granted culture a lofty status in its Vision 2030 with all its branches.
He noted that this year's fair was held at Princess Nourah University, adding congestion to the university's traffic, whether through cars, buses, or the university's metro stations, pointing out that as days go by, some mistakes can be rectified, especially in shuttle transport, by allocating a bus lane to avoid being stuck in the traffic of visitors' cars.
Al-Aid explained that visitors feel comfortable as soon as they enter the fair, thanks to the wide corridors, excellent air conditioning, clean restrooms, and sufficient prayer rooms. He emphasized that prices can be regulated, similar to regulating digital sales, as cash sales are no longer allowed. He praised the efforts of the guides in the fair's corridors. He called for a review of the cultural program to prevent the repetition of names, considering the reduction of bonuses, and the lack of hospitality in terms of living expenses, meals, and tickets, as well as the prohibition of participation bonuses, to be unworthy of the fair's reputation, which cost millions of riyals, and is limited to amounts not exceeding one million, especially since guests from within Riyadh will only receive participation bonuses. He added: I heard more than one guest say, "They want me to participate for free!!"
Al-Aid proposed that the Ministry of Culture acquire land and establish a suitable exhibition venue for books and other events in a suitable location in Riyadh, with enough parking spaces, and to permanently host the book fair there, as well as invest in it year-round and rent it out to benefiting parties.
Writer Ali Maki stated that the cultural momentum in the Kingdom drives the simultaneous occurrence of more than one cultural event across the Kingdom, which is experiencing a state of creative fullness, as major events move simultaneously to confirm that Saudi culture is no longer confined to the capital alone, but is distributed between the center and the regions. This distribution provides a beautiful image of the diversity of cultural geography and the richness of its sources. It also opens a door for critics and interested parties to read the scene as a complete scene, with multiple voices and styles.
Maki attributed the overlap between the Riyadh International Book Fair and the National Poetry Festival at the Jazan Literary Association to issues, as the Riyadh Book Fair is inherently the largest event and the most attractive to Arab and international media, which makes any other event held at the same time threatened to have the rug pulled out from under it in terms of media and audience attention. This complicates the attendance of poets and critics between the two events, forcing some to choose between participating here or there, which weakens the qualitative presence of the Jazan Poetry Festival specifically. Maki believes that the problem is not in the abundance of events, but in the lack of coordination between them. If the schedules were distributed carefully, each event would have its full space to appear and stand out, allowing the audience and interested parties to experience both events in succession instead of being forced to sacrifice one of them. He did not rule out the positive spirit of the overlap, represented in vitality, if it stems from a comprehensive vision, not from efforts to scatter. He considered good management of the national cultural calendar a necessity, so that the compass of events does not seem to have lost its direction!
Meanwhile, poet Yasser Al-Atrash emphasized that inviting intellectuals from within and outside the Kingdom is very important, and he does not see it as a "cosmetic" matter, as the participation of intellectuals and creators in reviving cultural activities accompanying the fair is an important and essential cultural act, in terms of enhancing interaction between the producer and the recipient on one hand, and testing the producer's culture and authenticity and discovering its implicit systems on the other hand. He pointed out that there are authors who enrich the current and future cultural scene, and these "should be invited," such as writers who have outstanding new publications at the fair, writers with comprehensive cultural projects, as well as problematic writers, in order to try to bridge the gap between those who disagree with each other and to understand the reality of their product, whether it is a new knowledge challenge or a showcase aimed at attracting attention and marketing!
He looked forward to not repeating names to create opportunities for those who deserve it (except in specific cases that make the repetition of a name an addition to the scene).
He considered the accompanying cultural programs of the Riyadh fair in its current edition to be good in terms of inclusiveness, as they combine creativity with politics, philosophy, and history, as culture is a comprehensive knowledge that includes all human activities. He believes that some workshops provide false content in some titles... How can we accept a workshop that claims to teach us the secrets of literary writing in an hour?! As the fair is not a venue for such activities; because they require in-depth study, adequate time, and a clear methodology, emphasizing that the Riyadh fair is a document of passage for those participating in its qualitative activities, and this document should not be granted except to those who deserve it.
Poet Hassan Al-Qarni believes that invitations are not unimportant or unnecessary for the intellectual; rather, they are a need for appearing and direct communication with the audience, answering their questions, and discussing ideas, books, and the public and private projects of the culture-producing intellectual and theorist. He emphasized that book fairs often revolve around the author, as when you bring in the roles and books, their authors and creators will necessarily come to talk and present their ideas, visions, and experiences.
Al-Qarni pointed out that the fair is held every year against a backdrop of a present cultural scene and current and changing global and regional issues; which necessitates that the topics for the accompanying seminars and cultural evenings be chosen on this basis; to avoid having your fair, which represents you and presents you to the world, completely outside the scene; without pulse or life. He sees the problem of the fair as the infiltration of a group with its relationships, visions, directives, and consultations into the cultural decision-making processes, adding: It is enough to look at the general program of last year's fair and compare it. He pointed out that when the Ministry of Culture was directly in charge of its programs, intellectuals communicated with it and criticized it directly; it was purely a cultural exchange between one opinion and another. However, the situation changed with the entry of capital, and the idea became one of profit and loss, which was reflected in book prices, not to mention the guest who is invited based on (show), where cultural value is no longer the cornerstone, but rather the distance from the window. He added that a guest can feel this when he finds himself in an economic seat at the back of the plane, provided with only one meal at the hotel, and participating without compensation, with fewer services, emphasizing that creating an important, current, and great cultural program requires a complete cultural nature, away from the language of capital, even if it is important and necessary, in the context of advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, for example; not interfering in the structure of the cultural material presented to the world.
Absence of Authors Raises Questions
Several visitors to the book fair questioned the absence of names that no fair can do without, including novelist Abdu Khal, and writer Dr. Hamoud Abu Talib questioned the convincing reason for ignoring the name of one of the most prominent cultural figures in the country?
Programmatic Stereotypes
Cultural figures who attended the book fair agreed on the stereotypical nature of this year's cultural program, as if it were a photocopy of previous fair programs, with some considering it a weakness of vision or a mere filling of schedules for consumption.
Publishers Not Caring About Book Content
Critic Dr. Hassan Al-Nami noted the paradox that some publishing houses do not know the details of the books they brought, while others did not correct the book but printed it with the errors sent to them by the author.
Academic Presenting More Than One Seminar
Observers of the cultural program noticed that one academic name dedicated himself to more than one event, even tweeting about presenting more than one seminar, confirming that flattery has overshadowed the preparation of programs and the selection of names.
Ahmed Qiran: The Cultural Program Does Not Mean Distributing Seminars to Repeated Names
Political media professor Dr. Ahmed Qiran, based on previous experiences in book fairs, believes that when the doors of fairs open, a wide audience of readers, writers, publishers, and intellectuals floods in, turning the fair into a cultural celebration. However, some believe that what is called the "cultural program" accompanying these fairs sometimes does not meet expectations. He confirms that the most prominent accusation directed at it is that it is unfair: it is dominated by specific names and excludes other groups, turning the cultural platform into a narrow space that does not reflect the diversity of society or the vitality of the cultural, intellectual, and literary scene.
Qiran went on to say that fairness in the cultural program does not only mean distributing sessions to as many writers as possible, some of whom are repeated from previous editions, but rather means first establishing clear and transparent criteria that ensure the participation of different groups of creators and researchers, and open the door for youth, emerging names, and effective cultural experiences.
He considered it fair in the cultural program for a visitor to find an event for children, a critical seminar on thought and philosophy, to attend a poetry evening as well as a workshop on digital publishing and copyright, and for the fair to be a mirror of society with all its categories and spectrums, not just a reflection of a narrow vision or a specific taste.
He noted that the Kingdom is a vast continent rich with great and diverse cultural names and experiences, yet it is deprived of attending this important cultural event. He looked forward to the Ministry of Culture acting with intellectuals as the Ministry of Sports does with athletes when it invites them to its major events, and as the General Entertainment Authority does with artists, media professionals, and intellectuals in cultural activities. He confirmed that invitations indicate the status of the invitee and the respect of the entity for him and his status, explaining that the Ministry of Culture and Information previously made an effort to invite a large number of intellectuals from various regions of the Kingdom to attend the book fair events, providing them with everything that reflects appreciation for their status, from travel tickets and distinguished accommodation to reception and transportation, creating a genuine celebration of intellectuals and appreciating their status, fostering communication between different generations, stimulating cultural dialogues, and increasing the momentum of accompanying events with discussions and interventions that enrich the entire cultural scene.
He called for platforms to expand to discuss contemporary issues: from artificial intelligence in publishing, to the future of digital culture, to identity issues, rather than remaining confined to traditional topics that attract only a limited segment, pointing out that global experiences in major book fairs, including Frankfurt, Casablanca, or Cairo, show that the success of the cultural program is fundamentally linked to its ability to be a real meeting point for discussion, dialogue, and interaction.
He noted that the audience does not go to the fair just to buy books, but to find themselves at the heart of discussions, to feel that their voice is present and that their interests are realized, with interaction felt among the elderly and youth, men and women, the center and the periphery, print and digital, poetry, novels, philosophy, and sciences, making the book fair a national space that reflects the vitality of Saudi society in all its spectrums.
Interaction and Transparency of the Chairman of the Literature Authority, Abdul Latif Al-Wasel
The follow-up and interaction of the Chairman of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Authority, Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Wasel, received admiration and praise from intellectuals and authors. Visitors and critics of some fair events expressed gratitude for Al-Wasel's transparency, which proved that cultural work is interactive between the producer, marketer, and recipient. Dr. Al-Wasel demonstrated through his responses on the (X) platform that he is a cultured administrator, capable of absorbing all observations, addressing shortcomings, and correcting unintentional mistakes, and perhaps this model, which was present this year with great openness, enhances the chances of success and acceptance of partnerships with specialists and experts.
He noted that this year's fair was held at Princess Nourah University, adding congestion to the university's traffic, whether through cars, buses, or the university's metro stations, pointing out that as days go by, some mistakes can be rectified, especially in shuttle transport, by allocating a bus lane to avoid being stuck in the traffic of visitors' cars.
Al-Aid explained that visitors feel comfortable as soon as they enter the fair, thanks to the wide corridors, excellent air conditioning, clean restrooms, and sufficient prayer rooms. He emphasized that prices can be regulated, similar to regulating digital sales, as cash sales are no longer allowed. He praised the efforts of the guides in the fair's corridors. He called for a review of the cultural program to prevent the repetition of names, considering the reduction of bonuses, and the lack of hospitality in terms of living expenses, meals, and tickets, as well as the prohibition of participation bonuses, to be unworthy of the fair's reputation, which cost millions of riyals, and is limited to amounts not exceeding one million, especially since guests from within Riyadh will only receive participation bonuses. He added: I heard more than one guest say, "They want me to participate for free!!"
Al-Aid proposed that the Ministry of Culture acquire land and establish a suitable exhibition venue for books and other events in a suitable location in Riyadh, with enough parking spaces, and to permanently host the book fair there, as well as invest in it year-round and rent it out to benefiting parties.
Writer Ali Maki stated that the cultural momentum in the Kingdom drives the simultaneous occurrence of more than one cultural event across the Kingdom, which is experiencing a state of creative fullness, as major events move simultaneously to confirm that Saudi culture is no longer confined to the capital alone, but is distributed between the center and the regions. This distribution provides a beautiful image of the diversity of cultural geography and the richness of its sources. It also opens a door for critics and interested parties to read the scene as a complete scene, with multiple voices and styles.
Maki attributed the overlap between the Riyadh International Book Fair and the National Poetry Festival at the Jazan Literary Association to issues, as the Riyadh Book Fair is inherently the largest event and the most attractive to Arab and international media, which makes any other event held at the same time threatened to have the rug pulled out from under it in terms of media and audience attention. This complicates the attendance of poets and critics between the two events, forcing some to choose between participating here or there, which weakens the qualitative presence of the Jazan Poetry Festival specifically. Maki believes that the problem is not in the abundance of events, but in the lack of coordination between them. If the schedules were distributed carefully, each event would have its full space to appear and stand out, allowing the audience and interested parties to experience both events in succession instead of being forced to sacrifice one of them. He did not rule out the positive spirit of the overlap, represented in vitality, if it stems from a comprehensive vision, not from efforts to scatter. He considered good management of the national cultural calendar a necessity, so that the compass of events does not seem to have lost its direction!
Meanwhile, poet Yasser Al-Atrash emphasized that inviting intellectuals from within and outside the Kingdom is very important, and he does not see it as a "cosmetic" matter, as the participation of intellectuals and creators in reviving cultural activities accompanying the fair is an important and essential cultural act, in terms of enhancing interaction between the producer and the recipient on one hand, and testing the producer's culture and authenticity and discovering its implicit systems on the other hand. He pointed out that there are authors who enrich the current and future cultural scene, and these "should be invited," such as writers who have outstanding new publications at the fair, writers with comprehensive cultural projects, as well as problematic writers, in order to try to bridge the gap between those who disagree with each other and to understand the reality of their product, whether it is a new knowledge challenge or a showcase aimed at attracting attention and marketing!
He looked forward to not repeating names to create opportunities for those who deserve it (except in specific cases that make the repetition of a name an addition to the scene).
He considered the accompanying cultural programs of the Riyadh fair in its current edition to be good in terms of inclusiveness, as they combine creativity with politics, philosophy, and history, as culture is a comprehensive knowledge that includes all human activities. He believes that some workshops provide false content in some titles... How can we accept a workshop that claims to teach us the secrets of literary writing in an hour?! As the fair is not a venue for such activities; because they require in-depth study, adequate time, and a clear methodology, emphasizing that the Riyadh fair is a document of passage for those participating in its qualitative activities, and this document should not be granted except to those who deserve it.
Poet Hassan Al-Qarni believes that invitations are not unimportant or unnecessary for the intellectual; rather, they are a need for appearing and direct communication with the audience, answering their questions, and discussing ideas, books, and the public and private projects of the culture-producing intellectual and theorist. He emphasized that book fairs often revolve around the author, as when you bring in the roles and books, their authors and creators will necessarily come to talk and present their ideas, visions, and experiences.
Al-Qarni pointed out that the fair is held every year against a backdrop of a present cultural scene and current and changing global and regional issues; which necessitates that the topics for the accompanying seminars and cultural evenings be chosen on this basis; to avoid having your fair, which represents you and presents you to the world, completely outside the scene; without pulse or life. He sees the problem of the fair as the infiltration of a group with its relationships, visions, directives, and consultations into the cultural decision-making processes, adding: It is enough to look at the general program of last year's fair and compare it. He pointed out that when the Ministry of Culture was directly in charge of its programs, intellectuals communicated with it and criticized it directly; it was purely a cultural exchange between one opinion and another. However, the situation changed with the entry of capital, and the idea became one of profit and loss, which was reflected in book prices, not to mention the guest who is invited based on (show), where cultural value is no longer the cornerstone, but rather the distance from the window. He added that a guest can feel this when he finds himself in an economic seat at the back of the plane, provided with only one meal at the hotel, and participating without compensation, with fewer services, emphasizing that creating an important, current, and great cultural program requires a complete cultural nature, away from the language of capital, even if it is important and necessary, in the context of advertising, promotion, and sponsorship, for example; not interfering in the structure of the cultural material presented to the world.
Absence of Authors Raises Questions
Several visitors to the book fair questioned the absence of names that no fair can do without, including novelist Abdu Khal, and writer Dr. Hamoud Abu Talib questioned the convincing reason for ignoring the name of one of the most prominent cultural figures in the country?
Programmatic Stereotypes
Cultural figures who attended the book fair agreed on the stereotypical nature of this year's cultural program, as if it were a photocopy of previous fair programs, with some considering it a weakness of vision or a mere filling of schedules for consumption.
Publishers Not Caring About Book Content
Critic Dr. Hassan Al-Nami noted the paradox that some publishing houses do not know the details of the books they brought, while others did not correct the book but printed it with the errors sent to them by the author.
Academic Presenting More Than One Seminar
Observers of the cultural program noticed that one academic name dedicated himself to more than one event, even tweeting about presenting more than one seminar, confirming that flattery has overshadowed the preparation of programs and the selection of names.
Ahmed Qiran: The Cultural Program Does Not Mean Distributing Seminars to Repeated Names
Political media professor Dr. Ahmed Qiran, based on previous experiences in book fairs, believes that when the doors of fairs open, a wide audience of readers, writers, publishers, and intellectuals floods in, turning the fair into a cultural celebration. However, some believe that what is called the "cultural program" accompanying these fairs sometimes does not meet expectations. He confirms that the most prominent accusation directed at it is that it is unfair: it is dominated by specific names and excludes other groups, turning the cultural platform into a narrow space that does not reflect the diversity of society or the vitality of the cultural, intellectual, and literary scene.
Qiran went on to say that fairness in the cultural program does not only mean distributing sessions to as many writers as possible, some of whom are repeated from previous editions, but rather means first establishing clear and transparent criteria that ensure the participation of different groups of creators and researchers, and open the door for youth, emerging names, and effective cultural experiences.
He considered it fair in the cultural program for a visitor to find an event for children, a critical seminar on thought and philosophy, to attend a poetry evening as well as a workshop on digital publishing and copyright, and for the fair to be a mirror of society with all its categories and spectrums, not just a reflection of a narrow vision or a specific taste.
He noted that the Kingdom is a vast continent rich with great and diverse cultural names and experiences, yet it is deprived of attending this important cultural event. He looked forward to the Ministry of Culture acting with intellectuals as the Ministry of Sports does with athletes when it invites them to its major events, and as the General Entertainment Authority does with artists, media professionals, and intellectuals in cultural activities. He confirmed that invitations indicate the status of the invitee and the respect of the entity for him and his status, explaining that the Ministry of Culture and Information previously made an effort to invite a large number of intellectuals from various regions of the Kingdom to attend the book fair events, providing them with everything that reflects appreciation for their status, from travel tickets and distinguished accommodation to reception and transportation, creating a genuine celebration of intellectuals and appreciating their status, fostering communication between different generations, stimulating cultural dialogues, and increasing the momentum of accompanying events with discussions and interventions that enrich the entire cultural scene.
He called for platforms to expand to discuss contemporary issues: from artificial intelligence in publishing, to the future of digital culture, to identity issues, rather than remaining confined to traditional topics that attract only a limited segment, pointing out that global experiences in major book fairs, including Frankfurt, Casablanca, or Cairo, show that the success of the cultural program is fundamentally linked to its ability to be a real meeting point for discussion, dialogue, and interaction.
He noted that the audience does not go to the fair just to buy books, but to find themselves at the heart of discussions, to feel that their voice is present and that their interests are realized, with interaction felt among the elderly and youth, men and women, the center and the periphery, print and digital, poetry, novels, philosophy, and sciences, making the book fair a national space that reflects the vitality of Saudi society in all its spectrums.
Interaction and Transparency of the Chairman of the Literature Authority, Abdul Latif Al-Wasel
The follow-up and interaction of the Chairman of the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Authority, Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Wasel, received admiration and praise from intellectuals and authors. Visitors and critics of some fair events expressed gratitude for Al-Wasel's transparency, which proved that cultural work is interactive between the producer, marketer, and recipient. Dr. Al-Wasel demonstrated through his responses on the (X) platform that he is a cultured administrator, capable of absorbing all observations, addressing shortcomings, and correcting unintentional mistakes, and perhaps this model, which was present this year with great openness, enhances the chances of success and acceptance of partnerships with specialists and experts.