العربية
Sohar University’s Learning Resources Center participated in the largest reading marathon, “Iqra,” organized by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information. The event ran for four days, from January 15 to 18, 2025, aiming to promote the culture of reading across the Arab world with the participation of 17 libraries from five Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sultanate of Oman, Tunisia, and Algeria), including three libraries from Oman.
This year’s “Iqra Marathon” aimed to achieve a milestone of one million pages read, which would contribute to the planting of 10,000 trees in collaboration with the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification. However, the goal was surpassed, reaching 1.5 million pages read. Sohar University contributed 34,800 pages to this initiative, resulting in the planting of 348 trees.
This initiative serves as a way to inspire the community to embrace reading in public libraries while emphasizing their role in enriching scientific, cultural, and intellectual life. Sohar University extended an open invitation to its staff and students to contribute to the marathon and opened the doors of its Learning Resources Center to the local community to encourage collective participation in this cultural and environmental achievement.
The “Iqra Marathon” is not just a reading event but a remarkable initiative that blends knowledge promotion with environmental preservation, serving as a model for integrating culture and sustainable development.