Hanoi:Cultural institutions and associations in Saudi Arabia are celebrating World Arabic Novel Day on October 12, highlighting significant growth in publishing and narrative creativity. This growth is marked by an expansion of literary events that attract novelists, readers, and those interested in the arts of writing.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the celebration coincides with the release of the Ministry of Culture's "Report on the State of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2025," titled "A Decade of Vision." The report revealed that the number of novels published by Saudi authors reached 341 in 2025, an increase of approximately 56% from 218 in 2024.

The report also indicates that the total number of published literary works rose to 715 in 2025 from 509 in 2024, reflecting a growth rate of approximately 40.5%. Novels led the literary genres in output, followed by short story collections, poetry collections, and autobiographies.

In terms of publishing and distribution, the number of book sales outlets increased dramatically from 123 in 2019 to 800, demonstrating the expansion of the book distribution network and the development of related infrastructure. Additionally, the number of works translated from Arabic into other languages reached 847 books in 2025, enhancing the reach of Arabic literary and intellectual output to a global audience.

World Arabic Novel Day serves as an opportunity to review the transformations in Saudi Arabia's literary scene, including a diversity of themes, narrative voices, and artistic techniques, as well as the exploration of social, historical, and cultural changes in society.