Riyadh: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) announced the launch of the fifth annual iRead Marathon, in collaboration with the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI) and environmental partners, with the participation of 52 libraries representing 13 Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Palestine, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq.
According to Saudi Press Agency, this year's edition of the marathon, taking place from February 5 to 7, records a 235% increase in participation by Arab libraries compared to last year. It represents an extension of a series of initiatives introduced by Ithra aimed at encouraging reading among various segments of society.
Ithra Library Head Abdullah Al Hawas explained that Ithra places great emphasis on reading and its promotion, adopting reading as a key priority for the next five years, in addition to launching the Arab Reading Index to monitor the state of reading across Arab countries. The iRead Marathon comes within the framework of these efforts, as reading represents a fundamental pillar of knowledge, while the marathon's continuation for the fifth consecutive year contributes to expanding participation locally and across the Arab world.
Ithra welcomes individuals and families to take part in the marathon, which offers an opportunity to enhance reading skills and explore the world of books. Visitors to other libraries can also view full details through the marathon's page on Ithra's official website.