In early October 2025, İntrotema had the privilege of participating in the Riyadh International Book Fair (RIBF), held from October 2 to 11 at Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh. Under the theme “Riyadh Reads”, the fair served as a dynamic platform for literary exchange and cultural dialogue across the Arab world.
RIBF 2025 attracted over 2,000 publishing houses and agencies from more than 25 countries, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a cultural hub. The fair featured a comprehensive cultural program, including seminars, lectures, poetry evenings, and workshops, fostering a rich environment for intellectual engagement.
At the fair, İntrotema focused on:
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Showcasing our catalog of fiction, YA, and illustrated works to Arab and international publishers, with a focus on Arabic translation and co-editions.
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Engaging with rights professionals, editors, literary agents, and translators seeking new voices and cross-border collaborations.
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Exploring licensing, co-publication, and promotional partnerships that bridge Turkish and Arab literary circuits.
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Observing trends in Arabic readership, translation flows, and culturally relevant publishing.
Our team engaged in productive discussions with publishers from Egypt, Lebanon, and the Gulf region, exploring translation rights and co-editions. Conversations with translators and editors highlighted that translation is increasingly viewed as a cultural investment, connecting regional literatures and shared intellectual heritage. We also noted a growing interest in youth literature and hybrid narrative forms that blend prose and visual storytelling.
While RIBF is relatively newer compared to global fairs, its scale, state support, and ambition make it an influential platform for Arab-Turkish literary exchange. We leave Riyadh inspired, with new contacts, promising leads, and renewed motivation to bring Turkish literature to Arab readers through translations, co-editions, and cultural partnerships.