Leading contemporary philosophers gather in Saudi Arabia for the first time at Riyadh Philosophy Conference

·  Renowned international philosophical institutions and universities to take part in first of its kind event in the Kingdom.  

·  Over 50 leading contemporary philosophical thinkers from more than 15 countries will participate in an inter-cultural dialogue to explore philosophy across an array of subjects under a theme of 'unpredictability'.

·  The three-day conference will feature workshops, interactive plenary sessions, a philosophy café, innovative hi-tech installations exploring philosophy, a reading village, and a children's zone.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading contemporary philosophical thinkers will gather in Riyadh for a first of its kind philosophy conference at King Fahad National Library. The three-day event between the 8-10 December, will bring renowned international and regional thinkers and institutions together for the first time in Saudi Arabia, to discuss the most pressing contemporary philosophical debates under the theme: Unpredictability.

The Ministry of Culture and its Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, is organizing the conference to establish the Kingdom as a center for philosophical dialogue in the region, encouraging the advancement of scientific and academic research around philosophy, as well as encouraging interest in philosophy and its relevance to all our lives.

On the announcement of the conference, Mohamed Hassan Alwan, CEO of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission said: "Our mission is to promote philosophy across a wide range of thinkers and bring critical philosophical debates to Saudi Arabia for the first time, promoting inter-cultural and interdisciplinary dialogues. We also want to introduce philosophy to members of the public who might not have had exposure to it before and promote philosophical thinking, its methods and tools, and how it can be used to empower the youth."

The Riyadh Philosophy Conference program will cover an array of interactive plenary sessions and workshops, tackling contemporary issues of the day that highlight how philosophy can help us understand the world we live in. Sessions will cover, The Human Condition: Unpredictable Encounters, and several discussions are focussed on the impact of COVID-19, including, Beyond the Global Pandemic: Responding Ethically to the Unprecedented.

Leading philosophical thinkers from universities across the globe will be participating, including the University of Pretoria; Harvard University; The University of Turin; SOAS; Cairo University, King Saud University and many more.

The Riyadh Philosophy Conference will see over 1,500 guests per day, ranging from academics and students to cultural leaders and publishers. In addition to the curated plenary sessions, the event will also feature exhibitor stands hosted by local and international partners, and a number of experiential activations including a reading village, and children's zone designed to instil the value of philosophical thought amongst the next generation.  

The event will be open to the public and will feature a variety of accessible lectures exploring relevant topics that will demonstrate the significance of philosophy in today's world and show its ability to help answer key contemporary questions facing humanity.

As one of the 100+ cultural events taking place across Saudi Arabia this Winter, the Riyadh Philosophy Conference forms part of the country's rapid cultural transformation that is nurturing creativity and supporting the growth of vibrant creative industries.

About the Riyadh Philosophy Conference

• Riyadh Philosophy Conference website
• Social media: #RPC #Philosophy #SaudiArabia 

About the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission:

• Founded in 2020, the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is leading the development of the sector in the Kingdom.
• The Commission aims to enrich the Kingdom's literary content and develop its literary ecosystem to make it more competitive and sustainable. It also works on employing innovative technologies to digitally transform the sector and forge partnerships with the public, private and non-profit sectors, both locally and internationally.
• Find the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission on social media: Twitter: @MOCLiterature (Arabic) | Instagram @literature_moc (Arabic) | website: https://lpt.moc.gov.sa/ar

About the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Culture:

• The Ministry of Culture is leading a cultural transformation to develop a rich ecosystem that nurtures creativity, unlocks the economic potential of the sector and unleashes new and inspiring forms of expression.
• As part of these efforts, the Ministry of Culture is seeking to bolster the presence of Saudi heritage and culture at events across the Kingdom, enabling participants to engage with the Kingdom's rich and diverse history and preserve Saudi heritage for generations to come. 
• Find the Ministry of Culture on social media: Twitter @MOCSaudi (Arabic); @MOCSaudi_En (English) | Instagram @mocsaudi