Ithra Children's Book Fair Welcomes Syria as Guest of Honour

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), an initiative by Saudi Aramco, has opened the sixth edition of its Children's Book Fair, with Syria participating as this year's guest of honour.

Running from July 20th to 25th, the fair features 52 local and international children's book publishers and offers a programme of more than 23 activities for children aged 4 to 14, including workshops, interactive storytelling sessions, panel discussions and book signings.

The Syrian pavilion, inaugurated by Mohsen Mahbash, Charge d'Affaires of the Syrian Embassy to Saudi Arabia, showcases more than 250 children's books. According to the Syrian Embassy, the guest of honour designation recognises Syria's contribution to the development of modern Arab children's literature and highlights its role in enriching Arabic-language content for young readers.

The pavilion also showcases collaboration between Syrian and Saudi publishers on children's books and stories, while Syrian authors are taking part in talks and cultural programmes throughout the event. Many of the featured works have been published in recent years by Saudi publishing houses and cultural institutions.

Previous guest countries have included Belgium in 2021, Sweden in 2022, France in 2023, Egypt in 2024 and South Korea in 2025, with Syria taking on the role for the 2026 edition.