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The final round of iRead competition will take place during the closing ceremony. The finalists competing for the title of "reader of the year" will go through three competitions. In the first competition, participants will present their creative texts in an artistic format. Following that, contestants will be split into two teams for an intellectual debate on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on creative writing. Lastly, in the thrid competition, contestant will be asked random questions to test their knowledge and intellect. At the end of the ceremony, the winners of the "reader of the year" and "debater of the year" awards will be announced. The audience will also be invited to vote for one of the contestants. The ceremony includes various artistic and musical performances.
Program Schedule
06 Dec 2025 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Arabic
1 Session Available
06 Dec 2025 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Arabic
Jury Members
Dr. Iman Mersal
Egyptian poet, writer, academic, and translator. She serves as an Associate Professor of Arabic Literature and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Alberta, Canada
Saud Alsanousi
Kuwaiti novelist and journalist, and a member of the Kuwait Writers Association. He won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (2013) for his novel The Bamboo Stalk
Dr. Abdulrahman Marshoud
Writer and Researcher in Futures and Foresight Studies at the Center for Research & Knowledge Intercommunications
Nominees
Amin Shaaban
Tunisia
Nesreen Abolouifa
Libya
Younes Al-Issaoui
Morocco
Hiba Ya Yamout
Morocco
Abdulilah Al-Bahrani
Saudi Arabia
Sarah Ben Ammar
Algeria
Opening ceremony
5th December 2025
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
9+
Arabic
Theater
Free Ticket
Ghazi Al Gosaibi’s Poetry Show: On the Banks of an Old Promise
5th December 2025
9:00 PM - 10:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Theater
Free Ticket
Al-Da7ee7's library
6th December 2025
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
9+
Arabic
Theater
Free Ticket
Manazel alqaseed
6th December 2025
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Theater
Free Ticket
A reading workshop
6th December 2025
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Theater
Free Ticket
Reading Marathon Screen
5th December 2025
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza
iRead Exhibition
5th December 2025
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza
Your Literary Twin
5th December 2025
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza
Kutubiya
5th December 2025
4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Lush Garden
Bookstore
5th December 2025
4:00 PM - 11:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza - Retail Store
Nobel Minds
5th December 2025
7:15 PM - 8:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Theater
Free Ticket
A session with a publisher
5th December 2025
6:30 PM - 7:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza
Free Ticket
A session with a librarian
5th December 2025
6:30 PM - 7:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Library
A session with a writer
5th December 2025
8:15 PM - 9:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza
Free Ticket
A session with an editor
5th December 2025
8:15 PM - 9:00 PM · 45 mins
9+
Arabic
Library
A session with a literary agent
6th December 2025
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Library
A session with a translator
6th December 2025
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza
Free Ticket
A session with a bookshop owner
6th December 2025
2:15 PM - 3:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza
Free Ticket
A session with a cover designer
6th December 2025
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Plaza
Free Ticket
I read for you
5th December 2025
6:30 PM - 7:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Cinema
Free Ticket
Discussion and signing of the play: The night of the tailor's execution
6th December 2025
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Cinema
Free Ticket
Discussion and book signing for "Wind traps"
5th December 2025
8:15 PM - 9:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Cinema
Free Ticket
Discussion and Signing of the Novel Intimate Strangers
5th December 2025
8:15 PM - 9:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Library
Discussion and book signing for "the luxury of withdrawal"
6th December 2025
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Library
Discussion and book signing The edge of the world
6th December 2025
12:30 PM - 1:15 PM
9+
Arabic
Library
Discussion and book signing Hend or The most beautiful woman in the world
6th December 2025
2:15 PM - 3:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Library
Panel Discussion of “Shades and readings of messages’ echoes”
6th December 2025
2:15 PM - 3:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Library
Discussion and book signing for "the big dream"
6th December 2025
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Cinema
Free Ticket
Discussion and Signing of the Book Womb of the World: Transnational Motherhood
6th December 2025
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
9+
Arabic
Library