Amman:A series of Reading Marathon events have been launched across various governorates in the Kingdom under the slogan “Jordan Reads.” These events aim to encourage young people to incorporate reading into their daily lives and enhance the role of youth centers as cultural and developmental institutions.
According to Jordan News Agency, the Irbid Directorate of Youth and the Directorate of Education for the Bani Obeid District initiated marathon events to coincide with National Reading Day. This initiative is in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, the Abdul Hameed Shoman Library, and the “Irbid Reads” initiative. Nisreen Al-Bakkar, Director of the Education Directorate, emphasized the importance of reading as a critical source of knowledge and cognitive development.
In the Balqa Governorate, the Directorate of Culture organized cultural events and storytelling sessions in cooperation with educational institutions. These activities, held in several schools, aimed to instill a love for books among students. Writers such as Ghada Aql, Ibtisam Muaziz, and Nariman Al-Salahat presented storytelling sessions in districts like Ain Al-Basha, Southern Shuna, and Deir Alla.
The Tafila Technical University (TTU) library, in collaboration with the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, launched events to promote reading and encourage community engagement with books. TTU President Hassan Mohammad Al-Shalabi oversaw an exhibition where about 3,000 books were distributed for free, urging schools in the Tafila Governorate to participate in the initiative.
In Mafraq, the Directorate of Youth initiated the “Reading Marathon” program to promote reading among young people and introduce them to new literature. The event featured reading sessions and discussions to foster a reading habit and enhance knowledge among youth.
In Aqaba, 2,324 readers took part in National Reading Day activities organized by the Directorate of Culture. Participants read a total of 16,783 pages through events held in schools and at the children’s department of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Hospital, aiming to make reading a daily practice.
The Aqhuwan Malka Forum for Culture and Arts in Irbid organized a National Reading Day event at Al-Mansoura Secondary Comprehensive School for Girls, including book donations and a diverse collection of stories from the Jordanian Family Library Project.
In Ajloun Governorate, a theatrical performance dedicated to children was staged by the Directorate of Education to promote reading culture. The Sakhrat Youth and Girls Center also participated in the 2026 Reading Marathon events, in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth, the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, and the Ministry of Culture, marking National Reading Day as a significant national event each year.
