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Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission Launches Riyadh Int’l Philosophy Conference

The three-day event is organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission. SPA
The three-day event is organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission. SPA
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Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission Launches Riyadh Int’l Philosophy Conference

The three-day event is organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission. SPA
The three-day event is organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission. SPA

The fifth edition of the Riyadh International Philosophy Conference 2025 launched on Thursday at King Fahd National Library.

The three-day event is organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission under the theme “Philosophy Between East and West: Concepts, Origins, and Mutual Influences.”

This year’s conference continues the intellectual path it began five years ago, maintaining its role as a global platform that brings together thinkers, scholars, and experts from various countries and affirms the Kingdom’s position as an international center for knowledge production and cross-cultural dialogue.

The conference opened with remarks by CEO of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission Dr. Abdullatif Alwasel, who welcomed the guests and said the fifth edition builds on a project launched five years ago and has grown into a firmly established initiative that strengthens the presence of philosophy, enriches cultural dialogue, and reinforces the Kingdom’s standing as a global platform for knowledge and thought.

The conference features sixty speakers, including philosophers, thinkers, and researchers from different countries and philosophical traditions, giving the program intellectual diversity that strengthens its role as an international platform for dialogue and the exchange of expertise.

More than forty panel discussions will cover the foundations of Eastern and Western philosophy, modes of reasoning, and pathways of mutual influence between intellectual traditions. The sessions will also address contemporary issues related to human meaning, cultural shifts, and the role of philosophy in interpreting modern realities, offering varied perspectives and expanded approaches that deepen philosophical discussions.

The conference is expected to welcome around 7,000 visitors, reflecting the growing interest in philosophy and the humanities within the Kingdom.

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Culture

Rare 19th-Century Octagonal Quran Goes on Display at Makkah’s Holy Quran Museum

The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)
The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)
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Rare 19th-Century Octagonal Quran Goes on Display at Makkah’s Holy Quran Museum

The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)
The manuscript, featuring a unique octagonal design and compact size, was written in India during the 19th century. (SPA)

The Holy Quran Museum in Makkah is showcasing a rare and unique historical Quran written in India during the 19th century, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

The manuscript features a unique octagonal design and compact size, offering easy portability while reflecting a blend of practicality, artistic precision, and innovation in Quranic production.

The exhibit supports the museum’s mission to educate visitors about the history and evolution of Quranic calligraphy, while contributing to the growing cultural and tourism landscape of the Hira Cultural District and reinforcing Makkah’s global cultural significance.

Culture

How France Fell for Re-imagined 19th-Century Workers’ Canteens

A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)
A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)
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How France Fell for Re-imagined 19th-Century Workers’ Canteens

A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)
A general view shows the diner room of French brasserie Bouillon Chartier, on July 24, 2013, in Paris. (AFP)

So-called bouillon restaurants are mushrooming all over France, reviving a traditional low-cost Gallic meal concept that can compete with fast-food on prices and easily beat it on quality.

"It's exploding! 253 bouillon restaurants have opened in France in four years," Bernard Boutboul, a restaurant consultant, told AFP.

"It's an ultra-intensive expansion, driven by a trend of returning to traditions, with the reappearance of iconic French dishes at very low prices."

Created in the 1850s by the butcher Adolphe-Baptiste Duval to fill workers' stomachs with hearty meals, Duval's ran 250 restaurants in the capital by the turn of the 20th century.

That made them France's first mass chain of restaurants, serving traditional recipes at low prices in high-volume and bustling restaurants.

But as eating habits changed, with higher quality and more expensive brasseries dominating the French food market, and international and fast-food trends appearing, the bouillon concept fell out of favor.

Its revival began in 2005 with the resurrection of the Bouillon Chartier, an ornate Parisian landmark that had been slowly fading.

"A bouillon is the gateway to French gastronomy," explained Christophe Joulie, part of the gastronomic family who took over the Chartier.

He modernized the kitchens and put beef bourguignon with macaroni back on the menu.

"For me, you have to be able to have a starter, main course and dessert for under 20 euros," he said.

With its leek vinaigrette for one euro and bills scribbled on paper tablecloths by apron-clad waiters, the restaurant hums with activity as locals and tourists alike pack out its tables, which crucially cannot be reserved.

"In a world where fast food is taking up more space, it's French-style fast food, because we serve a full dish for less than a sandwich at McDonald's," said Joulie.

- 'Dust off' -

Even multi-Michelin-starred French chef Thierry Marx has got in on the act, attracted by the idea of providing quality food at affordable prices.

He has opened a bouillon in a northern Paris suburb.

"In the 1960s, it took the equivalent of an hour of the minimum wage to eat at a bistro," he told AFP. "Today, with an hour of minimum wage, you only get fast food, something from the bakery -- or a bouillon dish."

Other restaurateurs with a keen eye for the market have sensed an opportunity.

"We looked at needs and changing habits and realized there was demand for intergenerational social spaces with no price-based exclusion," Enguerran Lavaud, director of Groupe Bouillon Restaurants, told AFP.

"I wanted to dust off the bouillon -- its mass-market French dishes available from noon to midnight."

Boosted by its Instagram presence, his Bouillon Pigalle now serves 2,300 customers a day, often with long queues along the pavement.

Since 2017, the concept has spread, attracting more and more restaurateurs across France from Angers to Nancy and Toulouse.

Some are adapting the concept.

In the Romainville suburb northeast of Paris, a family of Mauritian origin took over a large brasserie in 2026 to turn it into a "Mauritian-style bouillon".

There is an Italian bouillon in Paris too.

Industry insiders say they do not fear competition around what has become a "bouillon culture".

"But there are bouillons and bouillons: those that can't sustain the low prices over time, and whose menus change all the time, won't make it to 2027 or 2028 because you have to protect the quality of the experience to protect volume - and therefore prices," warned Lavaud.

According to consultant Bernard Boutboul, you specifically need "at least 300 seats and not exceed an average bill of 18 euros".

Culture

AlUla Marks World Heritage Day, Showcases Millennia of Human Civilization

AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA
AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA
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AlUla Marks World Heritage Day, Showcases Millennia of Human Civilization

AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA
AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects - SPA

AlUla Governorate is celebrating World Heritage Day, observed annually on April 18, by showcasing a historical legacy spanning thousands of years as a crossroads of ancient civilizations and a living testament to cultural continuity and architectural development, reinforcing its status as a premier global cultural center, SPA reported.

The governorate is home to landmarks of universal value, most notably Hegra, the first Saudi site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Other significant sites include AlUla Old Town, featuring over 900 traditional mud-brick houses that reflect the region's historical social fabric and unique architectural heritage.

AlUla remains committed to the preservation of its archaeological sites and inscriptions through specialized restoration and rehabilitation projects.

These efforts ensure the sustainability of its heritage for future generations, aligning with international standards for protecting human history and promoting global cultural awareness.