By Samar Al-Harthi

SHARJAH — In a riveting session at the ongoing Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2023), the spotlight shone brightly on Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, better known as Ithra. The event featured esteemed members and past winners of Ithra's prestigious reading competition, delving into the center's profound impact on global culture.

The session, a testament to Ithra's commitment to its founding pillars of culture, creativity, community, art, and knowledge, showcased the center's mission to foster a vibrant literary community and encourage a deeper connection with the written word.

Distinguished panelists, including Tariq Khawaji, a cultural consultant at Ithra and supervisor of the Ithra Reading Program (iRead), along with previous reading competition winners Duaa Hassnin from Egypt and Sufyan al-Buraq, the 2023 champion from Morocco, provided insightful perspectives and personal anecdotes. Their narratives underscored the transformative power of literature and the enduring impact of Ithra's initiatives on their literary journeys.

Tariq Khawaji traced Ithra's journey since its establishment in 2018, highlighting its evolution from a local literary event in the Al-Sharqiyyah region to a national competition and ultimately a regional platform for Arab readers and writers across the Arab world.

The panelists, in sharing heartfelt accounts of their literary explorations and the influence of Ithra's programs on their academic aspirations, emphasized the crucial role of the reading competition in nurturing a lifelong love for reading. They also spoke of how it fosters a deep appreciation for diverse literary genres and narratives.

The session served as a wellspring of inspiration for aspiring readers and literary enthusiasts attending the discussion at SIBF, which continues at the Expo Centre Sharjah until November 12 under the theme 'We Speak Books.'