DHAHRAN Hosts Prestigious Iqra Competition with Nobel Laureates
In a grand event attended by 16,000 people, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture wrapped up its ninth annual Iqra competition in Dhahran with a bang.
Saudi Aramco’s president and CEO, Amin Nasser, along with other top officials, graced the two-day extravaganza.
The presence of Nobel literature laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Olga Tokarczuk added an extra layer of prestige to the event, with both offering valuable insights during speaking sessions.
From engaging activities to the thrilling announcement of winners, visitors were treated to a memorable experience at the competition.
Moroccan Meryem Bououd clinched the Reader of the Year title, while 10-year-old Fatima Kettani from Morocco captured the Promising Reader award.
Iraqi Hira Karkhi stood out by winning the Text of the Year prize, and the Reading School accolade went to Tarbiyat Al-Ajial of the Private International School in Hafr Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Safia Al-Ghubari was honored with the People’s Reader award, while teacher Najla Ghazi Al-Suhaimi bagged the Reading Ambassador prize.
Noura Al-Zamil, the program director at Ithra, highlighted the competition’s remarkable journey since its inception in 2013.
Through nine editions, Iqra has attracted over 225,000 applicants and delivered 48,000 hours of educational content, featuring more than 600 speakers from 30 countries, including three Nobel Prize-winning authors.
Al-Zamil emphasized Ithra’s commitment to innovation, introducing new elements like Iqra Travels, Iqra Marathon, and Kitabiya Exhibit to nurture a reading culture among Arab youth.
The closing ceremony was marked by cultural sessions, including a captivating talk by Tokarczuk on literature’s role in bridging languages and cultures.
Looking ahead, Tokarczuk shared her optimism and caution, acknowledging the benefits of modern tools like ChatGPT while also expressing concerns about their potential misuse.
Reflecting on his heritage, Gurnah expressed his deep connection to Zanzibar, stating, “Zanzibar will always be my true homeland, despite my long absence.”