The headlines include “The battle of book exhibition,” “Attack on the book exhibition,” “Controversy over the book exhibition,” among others.

Despite such damaging headlines, the exhibition is successful and approaching its end, having attracted a large number of visitors.

The headlines create an impression that we are about to start a pitched battle, barricades are up and fingers are on triggers awaiting the firing order. The battle is fought even on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

One wonders why this battle is taking place at an annual international cultural event organized under the auspices of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. What kind of people are these? Does culture or knowledge need this amount of defense to establish its legitimacy and significance?

In fact there is nothing to worry about the exhibition. The exhibition has started, is continuing and will end smoothly despite all the furor. There is no need to make any fuss about it.

Supporters and opponents of the book fair line up for the battle long before its opening every year.

The media provocation (if the expression is right) is also strong. The minister makes a statement on the event followed by statements of the deputy minister. The undersecretary of the ministry comes up with clarifications on the statements of the ministers and the general supervisor of the exhibition issues reassurances to all parties. Thus, it goes on endlessly.

Finally the exhibition starts and completes as scheduled with a massive turnout of visitors registering a far higher volume of sales compared to any other Arab book fair.

Every year the same old criticism is repeated. The opponents focus on topics such as inappropriate arrangement for the entry of visitors and unsuitability of some book titles. The supporters come up with arguments against the allegations made by the opposite side. The media join the fray and this continues until the end of the event.

When we examine the allegations against the exhibition made last year and the years before we do not find anything new this year. Also we do not detect any negative consequence (as feared by the opponents) that could be attributed to the fair.

However, it cannot be denied that a few books with questionable contents might find their way to the exhibition. But their damage would be minimal as the exhibition displays more than 200,000 titles. It is also obvious that visitors would not be able to browse all showcased books. Moreover, any book that the experts find as containing objectionable content would be withdrawn.

I repeat: let’s stop the sensationalism over the book fair. Let’s leave the exhibition alone. Most of the negative arguments are aimed at creating confusion and sensationalism or just to gain attention.

The curtain will fall on the fair after a few days as scheduled and of course after achieving its primary goal.

Let us not provide the outside spectators an opportunity to tell us: “All people laugh at your ignorance.”

— Courtesy Al-Riyadh