The King Abdulaziz Public Library, in cooperation with the General Administration of Education in Riyadh, will launch the 26th Free Reading Festival for male and female students in general education next Sunday.

The festival will run throughout the week from May 10 to 14 and will be held at the library’s Al-Murabba branch in Riyadh, with the participation of more than 100 schools, over 1,550 male and female students, as well as a number of educators and teachers.

The expanded festival is part of the National Cultural Project for Renewing Connections with Books, one of the King Abdulaziz Public Library’s cultural programs. A training course will also be held at the main theater of the library’s Khurais branch for male and female students. These initiatives form part of the library’s efforts to promote reading culture and develop young people’s knowledge and skills through cultural and interactive programs that contribute to spreading knowledge and fostering a love of reading.

This year’s diverse activities—including reading sessions, reading courses, and the use of modern assistive technologies—aim to nurture students’ interests and strengthen their passion for reading and learning. They also seek to broaden students’ literary, scientific, and cultural knowledge, encourage teachers to instill the concept of free reading, highlight participants’ talents and knowledge, and develop their Arabic-language skills.

The King Abdulaziz Public Library seeks to strengthen its efforts to promote reading awareness among all segments of society by organizing a wide range of reading-related activities and events. These include opportunities to explore various types of scientific and literary books, children’s and young people’s stories, as well as historical and cultural publications that foster values of belonging and pride in the nation and its rich history. These efforts are carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, which represents a key pillar in the educational development process and serves as a central foundation for advancement, progress, and the building of civilizations across all fields, as well as for shaping young people’s personalities and developing their intellectual values.

In addition, a mobile library has been allocated to facilitate visits by male and female students to the library during the festival at both the Khurais and Al-Murabba branches. A reading course will be held for intermediate and secondary school students, while the Children’s Libraries at the Al-Murabba branch will host festival activities for elementary school students. The facilities have been equipped with the necessary technological resources and modern devices, along with engaging and age-appropriate content presented through display screens, all aimed at strengthening children’s relationship with books and encouraging them to acquire knowledge in various fields.