Al-Jawf Literary Club
Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club is a cultural institution and one of the literary clubs dedicated to supporting the cultural and literary movement in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also nurtures talented and gifted individuals in the literary field and guides their talents to enrich Saudi Arabia's literary scene. The club is headquartered in Sikaka City and is among sixteen literary clubs across Saudi Arabia's provinces. The Ministry of Culture oversees it following its separation from the Ministry of Media in 2018.
Establishment of Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club
Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club was established in 2001, concurrently with the formation of a board of directors composed of a chairman and some members. About five years later, the board was restructured, and new members, including the chairman, were selected. In 2011, a general assembly was formed to elect a new board, resulting in the formation of a board of directors comprising nine members in addition to the club's president.
Activities of Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club
Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club organizes poetry evenings and literary lectures for poets and writers both within and outside Al-Jawf Province. It also participates in book fairs, literary conferences, and national and international weeks and occasions. The club conducts annual cultural competitions in various literary and cultural fields, including research contests, poetry composition and recitation competitions, and short story and novel writing contests.
Achievements of Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club
Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club has made several achievements, including hosting numerous lectures, seminars, and literary evenings. It has also launched several awards that have contributed to activating the literary and cultural movement in Al-Jawf Province, including Al-Jawf Province Special Studies Award, the Literary Creativity Award for Al-Jawf Intellectuals, the Children's Writing Award, and the Olive Literary Creativity Award.
Initiatives of Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club
Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club has launched several initiatives to invigorate the literary and cultural movement in the province, including Jihat Forum in 2008, which featured seminars, poetry and storytelling evenings, and a book fair. The club also organized Dumat Al-Jandal Market Forum in 2012, highlighting the province and Saudi Arabia's landmarks, history, and cultural and civilizational heritage. Dumat Al-Jandal Market is one of the province's key landmarks.
In 2020, the club launched the "A Book for Every Household" initiative and a joint initiative with the General Directorate of Education in the province to strengthen students' engagement with the club's library. In the same context, the club organized reading events in 2021 to encourage children to read.
In 2021, the club held the "Women's Cultural Festival," which included a variety of literary and cultural programs and activities such as poetry lectures and evenings, legal consultations, an art exhibition, and cultural competitions.
Publications of Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club
Al-Jawf Literary and Cultural Club ranked first among all Saudi literary clubs in terms of the number of books published in 2021, with a total of twenty-five books, according to the Report on the State of Culture in Saudi Arabia 2021 issued by the Ministry of Culture under the title "Culture in Public Spaces," which monitored Saudi Arabia's cultural activity. The club's publications in 2021 covered a wide range of literary and cultural fields. Among the club's periodical publications is "Saysara," a quarterly magazine that published its first issue in October 2008.
Sources
Ministry of Culture.
King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah)
Saudi Press Agency (SPA).