Saudi Arabia in Buenos Aires: Riyadh's spectacular stand at La Rural

Traditional dances, talks, gastronomy, lectures, literature, poetry, clothing, coffee, theater, and handicrafts. By far, the Riyadh stand is the main attraction of the 2025 Book Fair , thanks to its architecture and its attractive dark yellow color, reminiscent of the desert, and wine-colored details reminiscent of the capital of Saudi Arabia.

Also thanks to the warmth of its "hosts," who make themselves known in their white robes and red shemaghs (the turbans they wear on their heads) whenever they wander around the area or serve Saudi coffee as a sign of welcome and hospitality. Without a doubt, the Arabs are the "soul" of the Fair when they invite the public to dance.

Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, succeeds Lisbon as the Guest City of Honor at the 49th edition of the Buenos Aires International Book Fair . This is the eleventh Guest City of Honor and the first from the Asian continent (specifically, from Western Asia) to come to the Fair to showcase its culture and traditions typical of the Arab world; its past and present as a cosmopolitan city filled with skyscrapers built in the middle of the desert that seem to touch the sky.

To this end, a colossal delegation of 150 people from Saudi Arabia arrived in the country, divided into 16 different sectors: artists, writers, musicians, artisans, and dance groups, among others. They were eager to give their all and win the hearts of the Argentine people.

“Buenos Aires is a culturally rich city, one of the most prestigious in the Spanish-speaking world. It's also the city with the largest number of bookstores per capita in the world and is among the elite of Spanish-language book fairs worldwide. It was always our goal to be here ,” Abdulatif Al-Wasil, Executive Director of the Authority for Literature, Publishing and Translation in Saudi Arabia, explained to Clarín from Riyadh's stand at the fair.

Indeed , Riyadh's booth 1809 (Yellow Pavilion) is a magnet for visitors. Its construction pays homage to the city and impresses everywhere you look: it measures 500 square meters —the largest of all at La Rural—and is spread over two floors . The ground floor hosts a variety of activities, while the first floor is used for private meetings.

The Riyadh stand is the obligatory excuse to explore it, as if it were a museum . Start with the "handicrafts" section (written in Arabic). There, a group of artists explain their works, mostly made of plaster and clay: there are doors, windows, small vessels, a Bedouin tent, a miniature Royal Palace, Salwa Palace, Al-Masmak Palace, and Elephant Rock, among the many attractions of the Saudi Arabian capital, which has just over 7 million inhabitants.

Meanwhile, an Arab man dressed in white approaches, offering visitors Saudi coffee, a brew quite different from traditional coffee, as its color tends to be yellow. Its flavor is something you'll have to discover, as it's served dry, without sugar or sweetener. Dates are also available to accompany it.

The tour continues with several multimedia screens showing the old Riyadh and what the new Saudi capital looks like, packed with skyscrapers in its powerful financial district. Its evolution has been impressive in such a short time. An Asian luxury in the middle of the desert.

Next comes the gastronomy section , with three screens explaining how to prepare three typical Riyadh dishes. The "secret" lies in the QR code that lets you learn about the ingredients and their cooking methods.

There's also a room with a large screen showing the "Ardah," a folk dance of military origin exclusively for men . They perform body movements with a sword in their hands as a sign of strength. There will be four dance performances daily and another four on weekends at the booth entrance to liven up the Fair.

Next comes the "fitting room," one of the main attractions of the Riyadh stand. Women will be able to dress in the Arab tunic known as the abaya . Men, on the other hand, will be able to experiment with the bisht, the translucent black tunic worn by Leo Messi when he received the 2022 World Cup in Qatar , exclusive to Arab sheikhs and high society figures. The Cup, however, is not there. Photos, videos, and selfies will immortalize this unforgettable memory.

There's more at the Riyadh stand: four poems written in Arabic describe the Saudi capital from a symbolic and emotional perspective. One of the most notable is that of Ghazi Abdul Rahman Al Gosaibi (1940-2010), a renowned politician, diplomat, poet, and novelist from Riyadh. The visit continues with an exhibition of traditional costumes, pottery, and several books that highlight the qualities of Saudi coffee as a symbol of hospitality.

Of course, Riyadh's stand will feature 18 activities related to the culture of this Western Asian city.

Conferences are expected to include "Women in Comics: Transformations of Image and Roles"; "Intersections between the Saudi and Argentine Novels"; "Crafts between Two Cultures (Saudi Arabia vs. Argentina) as a Model"; "Literature in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Between Human Creativity and Smart Technology"; and "Novel and Cinema: From Literature to the Screen," among other talks. The series concludes on Sunday, May 11 at 5:00 PM with a lecture on "Short Poetry with an Oriental Soul" with special guest Ahmed Yahya Al-Qaisi, also at the same booth.

In short, Riyadh's stand aims to "enchant" visitors through various cultural activities characteristic of the city . "We want the impact to be globally cultural, not just in books. That's what we're aiming for," said Abdulatif Al-Wasil.

"Therefore, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of, to strengthen the book industry between Argentina and Saudi Arabia. It's a tremendous opportunity to come to the largest cultural event in the Spanish-speaking world. It's a real pleasure. We are very grateful to be here," he concluded.

The "Ardah," the Arabic folk dance, can also be seen for free outside the Book Fair at three different locations in the city . On April 26, 27, and May 1, the performances will take place at 4:30 p.m. at Florialis Genérica (2301 Figueroa Alcorta Avenue, Recoleta).

Meanwhile, on April 27, May 3, and May 9, the Arabs will be dancing at 4:30 PM at the Rosedal in Palermo. The third event will be held on April 29, May 5, and May 11 at 4:30 PM in the Bosques de Palermo.