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Directions to Ithra
Open until 12:30 am
Introduction
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) participates in the 42nd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair, taking place in Sharjah, UAE, from November 1 to November 12, 2023. Through its first ever participation in SIBF, Ithra aims to introduce itself as a leading cultural institution in the region with unique offerings, such as the iRead competition which targets male and female students in the Arab World; spreading and encouraging a love for reading among the youth in the region.
Other offerings include the Ithra Digital Library, a digital haven of over 34 thousand free ebooks and audiobooks for book lovers based anywhere in the world. The Ithra Library is a main focus of Ithra’s participation in SIBF, and as a Diamond Sponsor of the 10th Sharjah International Library Conference, Ithra displays the Library’s unique services and offerings through the library conference, which takes place on November 7-9, 2023, in partnership with the American Library Association.
Ithra Booth
- King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra)
Visitors to the Ithra booth at Sharjah International Book Fair are transported into an inspiring world of unprecedented measures. An architectural icon in the city of Dhahran, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) was created with the aim of supporting the growth of the knowledge economy in the Kingdom, and to build cultural bridges with the rest of the world’s cultures. The building covers an area of 80,000 square meters and consists of a four-story state-of-the-art library, the 18-story Ithra Tower, the Idea Lab, the free-standing Energy Exhibit, a five-gallery museum, a 315-seat cinema, a 900-seat performing arts theater, a 1600-square-meter Great Hall and the Children’s Museum.
- The Ithra Library
The Ithra booth showcases the Ithra Library through VR technology, where visitors are able to experience visiting it virtually. Ithra’s Library is a haven for readers, learners and lovers of books and knowledge. It is the first digitally integrated library in Saudi Arabia, and one of the largest public libraries in the region, offering over 326,000 books in English and Arabic. A dynamic place of learning and activity, the Ithra Library is designed to foster individual and collaborative learning while nurturing a love of reading, discovery and the pursuit of knowledge. The Library was nominated for IFLA’s Public Library of the Year 2022 Award.
The first floor contains a robust collection of books for children and young adults. The second floor includes poetry and literary collections, while the third floor offers books related to philosophy, science, technology and the arts. The fourth floor specializes in history, geography, and biographies.
- The Ithra Digital Library
The Ithra booth presents an opportunity for visitors to register for the Ithra Digital Library, which offers more than 34 thousand ebooks and audiobooks in English and Arabic, and over 7,000 newspapers and magazines. This golden opportunity is open to anyone based anywhere in the world; all they need to do is get the free Ithra Digital Library Membership.
Easy access to Ithra’s collection of ebooks and audiobooks is also available through the Libby App, where those who have the Ithra Digital Library Membership can easily borrow their favorite books. Ithra’s collection of newspapers and magazines, on the other hand, is available on the PressReader App, where those who have a free Ithra account can read & download their preferred newspaper or magazine.
- iRead Competition for the Arab World
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) launched the iRead program in 2013, to spread the culture of reading and the love of knowledge in society by providing qualitative cultural programs that contribute to instilling the concepts of knowledge, reading and cultural production written in the Arabic language.
The program includes:
1. The iRead Competition
An annual competition targeting students, teachers and schools in the Arab world, it represents the cornerstone from which the program was launched, and includes three tracks:
Reader of the Year
A competition targeting male and female students in the Arab world. To participate, the student submits their review of a book of their choice and communicates their inspiring experience. Participants advance through several judged stages to qualify for the iRead Ithra Forum.
Reading Ambassadors
A competition dedicated to male and female general education teachers, aiming to enhance their role in spreading the culture of reading among male and female students.
The Reading School
A competition to honor the highest-scoring schools and universities in the number of students participating in the competition, the Reading School aims to enhance and highlight the role of schools and universities in spreading the culture of reading among their students.
2. iRead Talks
A series of cultural events aimed at spreading the culture of reading in the Arab world, iRead Talks provides lectures and discussion sessions in a number of Arab cities, and brings together writers to discuss issues of reading and writing.
3. iRead Marathon
A major three-day event aimed at encouraging the community to read. Ithra commits to planting a tree for every 100 pages read!
4. Kutubiya Exhibit
A book swap exhibition that extends over a period of six days. It aims to rotate books among readers and give them the opportunity to benefit from their already-read and used books by exchanging them with new or used ones from other readers.
- Ithra Publications
Ithra's role is not limited to designing cultural programs and promoting knowledge, but the Center also documents and presents them through printed and digital publications in various fields. These publications are the result of supporting and empowering entities, researchers and writers whose works enrich the creative and cultural communities in the Arab world.
Ithra displays 26 publications in its booth at SIBF, including the famous Muallaqat book which has been translated into four languages, and Al Hijrah: In the Footsteps of the Prophet, which is available in both English and Arabic. Ithra also produces a cultural magazine called Ithraeyat, a Saudi-driven platform with an expansive international outlook capturing the art scene and the culture of art by bringing together a mosaic of stories collected from across the Kingdom, the region and beyond.
Ithra’s Participation in SIBF’s Cultural Program
First session: The iRead Story
Time and date: 6:00 PM, November 4, 2023.
Description: Enthralling dialog session about the highly anticipated Ithra's Reading Enrichment Program, by King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture. Ithra will have the previous year's winners back for a panel discussion to share their insights and inspire newcomers to enter this year's iRead competition.
Second session: Supporting Arabic Content Creation
Time and date: 6:00 PM, November 9, 2023.
Description: an introduction to the Ithra Content Initiative and the grants provided by Ithra through the initiative, and the role the Ithra Academy plays in training and developing local content creators. The discussion also touches on the important role cultural institutions play in developing the Arabic content creation industry.
Ithra at the 10th Sharjah International Library Conference
The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) is a Diamond Sponsor of the Sharjah International Library Conference that will be conducted on November 8-10, 2023 by Sharjah International Book Fair for the 10th time, in partnership with the American Library Association. Through this sponsorship, Ithra puts its state-of-the-art library in the spotlight; showcasing its various services and offerings, its collection of over 326 thousand English and Arabic books, and its unique reader experience enabled by the adoption of the latest technology. RFID technology, for example, is used for borrowing books, as well as a smart system for returning and sorting books. Readers also enjoy unlimited access to free internet and computers for studying and browsing. Additionally, the Ithra Library has a digital version containing more than 34 thousand ebooks and audiobooks that all readers around the world with the free Ithra Digital Library Membership can access.
As part of its sponsorship, Ithra presents a session titled, “The library as a creative sustainable resource, the Ithra Library as a model” in the Sharjah International Library Conference Hall, at 11:45 AM on November 8, 2023. In the session, Tariq Al Khawaji, the Cultural Consultant at Ithra, and Ali Al Saad, a Library Systems and Technical Services Specialist at Ithra, discuss how Ithra is promoting sustainable development through inspiring workshops, performances, and events.
