(TAP) – Tunisia, the guest fo honour of the Riyadh International Book Fair (RIBF, September 29-October 8), is present through 16 publishing houses and numerous cultural events in which thinking icons and various leading figures in literature and science, including academics and creators, participate in some 15 cultural activities among the various events featured in the Fair, Chief of Staff of the Culture Minister’s office and Head of the official delegation Lassaad Said stated to TAP.

This important presence is an opportunity to showcase the Tunisian particularity in various creative fields such as cinema and the novel, and in the cultural sector as well as in the discussion forums that will focus on the specificities of creativity, especially those of women, he pointed out, adding that the goal is also to promote Tunisian books and authors and the publishing sector in general in Tunisia.

The fair will help boost cooperation and collaboration between Tunisia and host Saudi Arabia, on the one hand, and between Tunisia and the countries participating in this major exhibition, on the other, he underlined.

The official indicated that the fair’s steering committee has dedicated pavilions for Tunisia bearing the names of Tunisian cities, such as the Kairouan and Carthage theatres, considering that this initiative is valuable to enhance the Tunisian presence in Saudi Arabia and in the Gulf countries in general.

Director of Arts at the Culture Ministry and Head of the Tunisian pavilion at the fair Radhia Habassi Ergui said that the pavilion include a variety of publications by the ministry and and several institutions such as the Agency for the Enhancement of Heritage and Cultural Promotion (AMVPPC), the Tunisian National Library (BNT), the Ennejma Ezzahra and the National Cultural Communication Centre. Several magazines in Arabic “Al-Hayat Al-Thaqafia” and publications by the Centre of Arts, Letters and Culture (Qsar Said) and the National Centre for Cinema and Image (CNCI) are also displayed.

Visitors to the Tunisian pavilion will discover a variety of collections, including novels, studies, short stories and poetry collections, as well as novels that have been awarded several distinctions, notably the National Prize for Encouraging Literary and Artistic Creativity and the Comar d’Or literary prizes.

Besides, the Ministry has scheduled a number of cultural activities and workshops, notably on calligraphy moderated by Tunisian calligrapher Omar Jomni, and workshops organised by the National Library, during which Sihem Ben Mabrouk will present the platform that includes the map of Tunisian publishers, she specified.

Source: TAP News Agency