Algiers – On Thursday, August 28, 2025, Minister of Culture and Arts Zohir Ballou oversaw a meeting in Algiers focused on books and the revolution, as part of the cultural program of public libraries and reading initiatives aimed at preserving national memory and drawing inspiration from the glorious Liberation Revolution.
The event, hosted at the main public reading library “Zerhouni Mokhtar” in the municipality of Mohammadia under the theme “Books and the Revolution: A Meeting of Generations,” saw the minister emphasize the importance of “evoking authentic revolutionary values to keep them alive in the consciousness of youth, serving as a bulwark against any attempts to erase identity or undermine national unity.”
Ballou highlighted the “unprecedented cultural dynamism” in main libraries, noting that “over 89,000 diverse activities have been organized since the beginning of the year, including book exhibitions, intellectual and literary seminars, and significant awareness campaigns, such as national efforts to combat drug abuse.”
Regarding transformations in the book and reading sector in recent years, the minister stated that “commitment to President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s program to expand the network of public libraries has led to the establishment of 15 new libraries this year, with four additional main libraries set to be inaugurated, as part of a strategy to provide a public reading library in every municipality across the country.”
He added that the sector has begun “implementing a comprehensive strategy to enhance the role of libraries through digital networking, enabling researchers, readers, and writers to benefit from library services.” He also announced the upcoming launch of a national audio library in collaboration with the Algerian National Library.
The event featured a diverse program, including an exhibition of historical and literary books, photographs documenting key moments of popular resistance and the Liberation Revolution, and cultural workshops for children.
Additionally, mujahideen Abdullah Athamnia, Ahmed Douzi, and Ahmed Benai, along with several writers and talented children, were honored during the meeting.
