Khoja opens Arab publishers conference 4 Riyadh

Meanwhile, head of the Saudi publishers society Ahmad al-Hamdan
lauded the great attention given by King Abdullah to the conference
of the Arab publishers, noting that opening of King Abdullah
University of Science and Technology (KAUST) as well as King Abdullah
Prize for Translation provide a clear evidence for the attention
given by the King to the Arab publishers conference.
He noted that organization of the conference aims at reviewing the
situation of the Arab publication as well as the situation of the
cultural development in the Arab world.
Al-Hamdan said the organization of the conference is a serious
attempt to close the Arab ranks from the cultural and intellectual
side.
Al-Hamdan pointed out that there is a state of lack of confidence
between the reader and the writer in the Arab world.
It is wrong to say that the digital book has an adverse impact on the
paper book and readers, on the contrary the digital book is a
support to the paper book, he said.
Al-Hamdan pointed out that about half of the production of books in
the Arab world is marketed in the Kingdom, adding that reading is the
first step for building civilizations on scientific bases.
--more