Riyadh, February 09 (QNA) - The State of Qatar participated in the iRead Marathon 2026 at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Saudi Arabia through the Qatar National Library, the National Museum of Qatar Library, and the Library of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies.

Held over three consecutive days, the fifth edition of the iRead Marathon 2026 achieved a notable milestone, surpassing 6.5 million pages read.

The event offered a cultural scene that restored reading to the forefront as a collective act, one capable of creating an impact that extends beyond the moment.

At Ithra's library, alongside 52 libraries in 13 Arab countries, including digital libraries participating for the first time, reading appeared to reclaim its natural place in daily life, freed from its traditionally silent, individual character and presented instead as an open activity spanning physical halls and digital platforms.

The event reflected the transformation of libraries into spaces that transcend geography and accommodate diverse readers and media.

Participants agreed that the number of pages read was not an isolated figure, but rather an indicator of expanding participation and growing belief in reading as a shared daily practice, far removed from elitism or narrow specialization.

Pages were read in multiple languages and across various formats, united by a single common factor: reading remains capable of creating genuine spaces for connection and building intellectual links among individuals and communities separated by geography but united by a shared passion for knowledge.

Participants also underscored the initiative's human and environmental dimension, noting that every 100 pages read was linked to the planting of a tree, meaning the outcome of this edition translates into more than 65,000 trees pledged for planting.

The participation of digital libraries marked one of the most notable shifts in this edition, helping to broaden access, strengthen the concept of engagement, and reaffirm libraries' ability to keep pace with technological change without losing their cultural role.

As the iRead Marathon 2026 concluded, it became clear that the experience had gone beyond the framework of a temporary event, emerging as a cultural moment that raised fundamental questions about the role of reading in shaping awareness and the capacity of cultural initiatives to create lasting impact.

Three days proved sufficient to confirm that reading, when practiced as a collective act, can serve as a point of convergence and the beginning of a longer cultural journey. (QNA)