Andre Gaspar and May Ghoussoub, two friends, founded Al-Saqi Bookshop in London in 1979, the first bookstore in the United Kingdom selling a wide and important selection of Arabic books. In 1982, they also started providing English-language books related to the Middle East, and the following year witnessed the launch of Saqi books, an English language publishing house. In 1987, Al-Saqi began publishing in Arabic. And In 1991, “Dar Al-Saqi” was founded in Beirut. Its missions was, and remains, fostering intellectual modernity and the renaissance of Arab culture.
Al-Saqi seeks to be a bridge between Western and Arab cultures in order to encourage dialogue and discussion.
In 2012, “Al-Saqi for Children and Youth” was established to encourage reading in Arabic at a young age.
RAYA agency represents Dar al saqi since 2011.