RIYADH: To encourage reading culture and celebrate knowledge, the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture will Countries organise the concluding ceremony of the ninth Reading Enrichment Program, or iRead.
Under the theme “Reading Bridges Worlds,” the Saudi Aramco-organized event is set for October 11–12 at the Ithra Centre in Dhahran. Readers from all over the Arab world will compete in the essays and discussions.
Dr. Abdulrazak Gurnah and Olga Tokarczuk, two Nobel laureates in literature, will be present, as well as other readers, writers, and literary luminaries from the area.
The cultural program includes a fireside talk with Algerian novelist Ahlam Mosteghanemi, a recital by Sudanese poet Mohamed Abdelbari, the Kutubiya book swapping exhibition, many book signings, and an interview with Saudi critic Abdullah Al-Ghathami.
The Arab world sent an astounding 106,000 entries to this year’s tournament.
Ten finalists, from seven nations (Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Iraq), will compete for the title of Reader of the Year in the finals.
“The iRead competition is a shining example of Ithra’s pioneering role in promoting reading as a vital tool for enriching the knowledge of future generations,” stated Tareq Alkhawaji, cultural consultant at Ithra.
All participants’ research, reading, writing, editing, publishing, and public speaking skills are improved by this life-changing event.
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