Undersecretary at the Ministry of Culture and Information for Cultural Affairs Nasser Al-Hojailan opened a stamps and coins exhibition at the headquarters of the Literary Club in Riyadh on Sunday night.
Al-Hojailan toured around the pavilions in the exhibition organized by the Saudi Society for Stamp Collectors.
Sixteen Saudi collectors participate in the four-day expo, which showcases stamps featuring Saudi cities, birds and animals and the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, besides coins. In a statement to the press following the opening of the exhibition, Al-Hojailan said stamp and coin collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the world even though there are people who consider it a waste of time, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He added: “Stamps reflect the history of people and cultures, both modern and ancient.
“They instill in human minds a desire to travel to distant places, especially when they see scenes, customs and practices of different people imprinted on stamps.”
He added some stamps show pictures of famous men, stars from arts and entertainment and scientists besides pictures related to wars and milestones in the development of science and technology and architecture.
Stamp collections are found in all Arab and Muslim countries.
The Saudi Society for Stamp Collectors helps collectors in the Kingdom.
He also urged all lovers of the hobby to visit the exhibition, which will also organize two seminars on the significance of stamp and coin collecting.
