Al-Rahma Secondary School (Kfarjouz, South), part of Al-Mabarrat schools, held the opening ceremony of its 20th annual book fair under the title “Twenty Years… and the Book Is Our Light”, under the patronage of the President of the University of Sciences and Arts in Lebanon (USAL) Dr. Mohammad Reda Fadlallah, represented by the Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Nasri Harb, and attended by the school's principal Ms. Soulaf Hashem, the administrative and teaching staff, students' families and figures from the local community.
The ceremony began with verses from the Holy Quran and the Lebanese national anthem, then creative performances by the students, followed by a speech from Ms. Hashem in which she said: “Our commitment to development was evident in integrating digital reading, as we activated interactive platforms such as the Kutubi platform, which linked a love of reading with technology to meet the interests of the new generation and guide it intelligently toward knowledge. And because reading has an impact that goes beyond classroom walls, we set out in an active partnership with parents, and through a variety of events we worked to establish reading as a family culture, particularly in the first cycle and kindergarten, making the book a permanent guest in homes rather than a mere resident of the shelves”.
She noted that “this year's book fair will be the starting point for a week rich in activities and gatherings reaching every class and section, ranging from story readings, lectures, competitions, workshops and group readings to contributions from parents, in an educational whole that we hope will leave a deep mark on our children's awareness and their passion for reading”.
Dr. Harb then delivered the patron's speech, saying: “Reading today is no longer confined to paper books. We can now read from a phone or a tablet, we can listen to an audiobook while walking, or follow book reviews on Instagram and YouTube. Artificial intelligence even helps us discover books that suit our interests.
He added: “Reading is what gives us the ability to understand everything around us, from programming, to space, to the arts and history. Reading plants in us the capacity for critical thinking, a broad imagination and refined expression”.
In closing his speech he called on the students to “make this week the beginning of a new relationship with the book, whether printed or digital. Read with passion and love and with the sense that every page you read opens doors for you without limit”.
At the close of the ceremony, the school administration honored 262 pupils who had taken part in the various cultural activities during the school year.
It is worth noting that the fair will continue until the evening of Thursday 17 April.
