Ahwal Al-Ma'rifa – Special

To what extent can literary associations in Saudi Arabia contribute to the development of Saudi creativity and help bring it to the global stage? Can they achieve this ambition, or will their work remain limited to literary events, activities, and forums within the Kingdom? Does the literary activity of these associations add something new to Saudi Arabia’s literary landscape, or does it remain repetitive, without significant new contributions? In this report, Ahwal Al-Ma'rifa highlights some of the Kingdom’s recently established literary associations and examines their principal literary objectives.

Professional Literature Association:

Since its establishment in September 2021, the Professional Literature Association has described itself as the official and sole representative of the Kingdom’s writers and literary professionals, both nationally and internationally. It is a non-profit civil literary association whose membership includes a large number of Saudi male and female writers. Its headquarters are located in the Al-Nakheel district of Riyadh. The association defines itself as a national non-profit entity working to organize and professionally structure the literary sector in Saudi Arabia in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. It seeks to strengthen the role of literature as a cultural industry with economic and intellectual impact and serves as a professional reference for Saudi writers.

The association has expanded by establishing numerous branches in cities across Saudi Arabia. Through this expansion, it seeks to build an institutional framework for literary practice, develop classifications for literary professions, establish professional standards, and enhance the capabilities of practitioners. It also works to empower Saudi writers through specialized programs, professional services, and career-development pathways that respond to changes in the cultural labor market. In addition, the association seeks to develop the literary environment by launching initiatives and projects, including the preparation of a professional guide for Saudi writers, the creation of specialized platforms for documenting and managing creative texts, and the organization of events and programs designed to discover and develop talent and strengthen the presence of literature within society.

Some of these roles may overlap, to varying degrees, with the work previously undertaken by the 16 literary clubs distributed across the Kingdom’s regions and cities. However, what distinguishes the Professional Literature Association from the former literary clubs, as well as the Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, is its stated commitment to representing Saudi writers at international forums and organizations. According to its strategy, the association seeks to build bridges of cultural cooperation and highlight the Saudi literary experience as one of the region’s richest literary traditions. It also aims to raise awareness of literature, highlight its value, enhance the quality of its creative output, encourage outstanding practitioners, and expand its horizons locally, throughout the Arab world, and internationally.

The association’s second board of directors, whose term runs until November 30, 2029, includes a number of writers and critics: Hassan Al-Noumi, Nora Al-Qahtani, Jassim Al-Sahih, Khalid Al-Yousef, Adel Al-Zahrani, Mohammed Ibrahim Yaqoub, Mohammed Al-Harz, Moajab Al-Zahrani, and Noha Al-Owaidi. All have diverse cultural backgrounds and creative publications, contributing to the association’s vision of supporting and promoting Saudi literature both locally and internationally. As part of these efforts, the association has launched a literary award covering several fields, including poetry, narrative writing, and literary criticism.

Literature and Comparative Literature:

The Saudi Association for Comparative Literature was established in the Madinah region in 2021. It is a specialized non-profit organization dedicated to the literary sector under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and registered with the National Center for Non-Profit Sector Development. It is chaired by Khalid Al-Wahbi and has launched a range of literary activities and events. Its most recent initiative was the first Egyptian-Saudi Literature Forum, held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina last week, with the participation of a large number of writers from Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

The establishment of the Saudi Association for Comparative Literature reflects a commitment to highlighting the Kingdom’s cultural and civilizational standing and its role in engaging with the diverse cultures of the world. It seeks to make a positive contribution to critical, intellectual, cultural, and literary production through research, analysis, and translation, while preserving Saudi national identity and its intellectual, literary, and artistic achievements and presenting them to the world.

The association aims to establish a leading position in literary theory, critical studies, and comparative theory at the local, regional, and international levels. It works to enrich the fields of literary theory and comparative studies, build a locally rooted yet globally oriented knowledge base, open new avenues for research and engagement with the world's diverse cultural traditions, and promote comparative critical methodologies as tools for understanding and bringing together societies, languages, literatures, and the arts and cultures of the world.

The association serves researchers and those interested in literary critical theory, comparative and interdisciplinary studies, as well as institutions and organizations concerned with literature, the arts, and cultural dialogue more broadly.

Narrative Arts:

The Association of Narrative Arts and Literature (NALA) is a non-profit organization seeking to contribute to the momentum and flourishing of the cultural sector by harnessing the creative potential of narrative arts and strengthening the integration of cultural efforts in the field of narrative arts at both the national and international levels. The association seeks to develop an integrated vision for narrative arts that brings together contemporary fields of knowledge with traditional and folk sources, creating a narrative culture that is open to the world.

It works to organize and strengthen national creative efforts in narrative arts, coordinate with organizations concerned with narrative culture, and raise levels of expertise and professionalism in order to present an appropriate reflection of the development of narrative arts in Saudi Arabia.

The association’s board of directors includes writers Yousef Al-Mohaimeed, Faleh Al-Anzi, Mubarak Al-Khaldi, Abdullah Al-Kaeed, Abdulrahman Al-Deraan, Rashid Al-Shammari, and Faleh Al-Faleh.

While supporting Saudi creativity is the common thread connecting these associations, one area that may still require greater attention is the publication of literary books and periodicals, as well as the nurturing of emerging talent and introducing new writers to the literary scene. These could become important areas for future development among Saudi Arabia’s literary associations.

References:

• NALA
• Saudi Association for Comparative Literature
• Professional Literature Association