& Thx Ahmed 4 sharing ur views on Riyadh Book Fair :)

Furthermore, given the steady rise of Japanese culture among our youth, I found the Jap-oriented lectures (and their turnout) more than inspiring. I attended one whose main topic was Japanese Animation and instead of finding a remiss, moldy crowd merely there for the free food and good air-conditioning like I had expected, I found a remarkably enthusiastic lot with -their own sketches in hand- actively participating, at one point, even granting standing-ovations to the Japanese guest, IN UNISON at his mentioning of their favorite series and/or Japanese directors, and at his proposition that Saudi Arabia opens Japanese learning institutions. I am perhaps one of the few (read: about five!) young Saudis left who have yet to become a diehard fanatic of anything Asian, but even *I* was inspired.

Perhaps it is only the doe-eyed Pollyanna in me, perhaps I have accustomed to turning a blind eye to the malevolent-ones’ antics, but….. I found it wonderful, Ahmed!