King Abdulaziz Public Library highlights Saudi-French cultural ties with rare collections and translations

The King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh shines a light on the cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and France through its extensive collection of rare books, translations, and exhibitions. The library preserves historical and documentary sources that detail the development of diplomatic relations between the two nations, dating back to the reign of King Abdulaziz.

Its vast holdings include books, studies, and theses on French documents that outline the political and economic evolution of Saudi-French relations, which began even before the Kingdom's founding in 1924.

The library's collection features publications that offer French perspectives on Saudi Arabia, such as "Saudi Arabia Through French Eyes" and "Arabia: The Garden of Painters" by French researcher and photographer Thierry Mauger. Through translations, the library has connected Arabic and French literature, including works like "Discover Saudi Arabia" and "General Principles of the Arabian Horseman," as well as studies on the history of the Arabian horse, Islam, and Saudi heritage.

The library's role extends to introducing Saudi and Arab heritage to the Francophone world, with translation projects, publications, and rare French-language acquisitions. It has published children's books in French, such as "The Saudi Ardah" and "Saudi Handicrafts," and collaborated with Princess Nourah University to translate children's stories into French, including "Hours for Saudi Coffee" and "Grandmother’s Tales."

The library's multilingual children's section welcomes French families and those interested in French culture.

Holding one of the region's largest map collections—with over 700 historical maps, some dating back to 1482—the library also possesses hundreds of rare French books in literature, history, arts, and sciences, as well as works on French literature and culture across eras. These include works by French and European orientalists and travelers who documented Arabia's history and heritage.

In 2009, Paris hosted the third King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Award for Translation ceremony, with 23 countries participating and 118 nominated works. The library organized the Hajj exhibition in Paris, attracting numerous French visitors and showcasing the Kingdom's efforts to serve millions of pilgrims annually. Since 2019, the Unified Arab Catalog, under the library's initiative, has incorporated non-Arabic content, including French, into its bibliographic records, making Arab intellectual output published in foreign languages accessible to researchers and library professionals worldwide.

French Ambassador Ludovic Pouille visited the library in March 2021, acknowledging the library's significant contributions to cultural exchange and cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia.