Amman, Sept. 29 (Petra) -- The 2026 Reading Marathon launched Tuesday under the slogan "Jordan Reads," organized by the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation (AHSF) in partnership with the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, in cooperation with numerous cultural and literary institutions, coinciding with National Reading Day observed annually on Sept. 29.

The marathon aims to encourage reading and promote culture among community members in an interactive atmosphere that combines learning and enjoyment, introduce readers to new books, and create reading communities by embedding reading as part of daily life.

GAM is participating in this year’s Reading Marathon through its Public Libraries Department for the fourth time, across 20 subsidiary libraries: Al-Raya Al-Hashimiya, Al-Bashaer, Umm Al-Muminin, Al-Juwaideh, Wadi Al-Seer, Princess Iman, Al-Yasmeen, Al-Muqabaleen, Aden, Qutayba, Al-Bayader Al-Hasan, Al-Farah, Al-Buraem Al-Wa’eda, Mutah, Al-Baraa, Al-Nasr, Princess Salma, Hamza Bin Abdul Muttalib, and Swelieh Public Library.

GAM said it has been a key partner of AHSF in organizing the marathon for four years, seeking to develop and sustain a reading culture, strengthen effective community participation, and affirm the role of culture in building an aware, educated generation that interacts positively with its community, deepens belonging to cultural heritage, and reinforces national identity.

GAM is contributing to this year’s marathon by providing 1,000 books from donations and publications as gifts for readers, participating in cultural activities, placing promotional advertisements on bridges and main squares, and equipping bus rapid transit (BRT) stations with QR codes that allow users to download e-books from the AHSF Library.

The Reading Marathon is a globally inspired event that encourages collective reading in an enjoyable, interactive manner, with accompanying cultural activities such as intellectual games, book signings, storytelling sessions, and book clubs, adding diversity and vitality to the experience and motivating participants to continue reading.

//Petra// AF