JEDDAH: A new professional literature association is to be established in Saudi Arabia to encourage writing talents and raise standards. Ahmed Al-Rajhi, the Saudi human resources and social development minister and chairman of the board of directors of the National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector, gave his approval for the setting up of the organization, the first of its kind in the Kingdom. The association will aim to improve the standards and skills of the country’s writers while encouraging the formation of literary societies throughout the Kingdom operating under one umbrella. The initiative is part of the Ministry of Culture’s recently announced plans to build a diverse system of non-profit regional organizations including the formation of 16 professional associations in 13 cultural sectors. Chairman of the new association, Dr. Saleh Al-Ghamdi, said: “The association welcomes all writers and those interested in literature in the Kingdom, and it will be a supportive umbrella for the sector’s employees.”