Oran – The western provinces are abuzz with the local cultural festival “Reading in Celebration,” now in its twelfth edition, which kicked off today, Saturday, in a vibrant and joyful atmosphere.
In Oran, the event began in the commune of Mers El Hadjadj under the theme “We Rise Through Reading.” The festival features artistic and literary workshops, theatrical performances, magic shows, circus acts, and a street theater performance titled “Othello the Jealous” by the regional theater “Abdelkader Alloula.” There are also mobile book exhibitions, educational contests, and storytelling sessions.
The mobile library will visit the Mediterranean village of Belkaid (east of Oran), where children’s workshops will be held alongside the opening of the summer season. This program is part of the Oran festival activities, running until June 6, in collaboration with the Directorate of Culture and Arts and the municipal library “Mareh Abdelkader” of Mers El Hadjadj and associations focused on childhood.
Under the theme “Reading is the Gateway for Our Children to Know Our Heritage Identity,” Tlemcen province organizes the festival with over 150 children from 14 municipalities participating in pedagogical workshops on drawing and crafts. These activities are led by specialists from various cultural and museum institutions, local associations, and reading clubs, according to the event’s curator, Tarshaoui Zine El Abidine.
The same lively atmosphere is seen in Tissemsilt, where the Directorate of Culture and Arts, in coordination with various sectors, has organized numerous activities in the “5 July” square in the center of Tissemsilt. These activities include exhibitions for children, artistic and cultural competitions, workshops on drawing, Arabic calligraphy, and crafts for people with special needs, as well as acrobatic shows, sports demonstrations, and gift distribution under the supervision of the Wilaya’s governor, Bouzaid Fathi, and the local community.
In Mascara, the main public reading library “Dr. Yahia Bouaziz” hosts exhibitions of children’s literature books and works by local authors. The library also showcases short stories, poetry, Arabic calligraphy, and artistic crafts created by enrolled children. Additionally, literary and artistic workshops are held for over 100 children.
The festival’s program also includes lectures and seminars on reading-related topics, poetry evenings, and the honoring of children participating in various workshops.
In Saida, the public reading library hosted the event where children enjoyed numerous activities such as writing and drawing workshops, short story writing sessions, scientific lectures, and theatrical performances inspired by children’s books.
El Bayadh province is hosting rich activities for children at the main public reading library “Martyr Al-Ruq Haj,” including reading workshops, soroban (Japanese abacus) lessons, summarization, calligraphy, poetry, storytelling, theater, intellectual competitions, and theatrical performances. The festival, lasting a week, also features a cultural caravan that will tour several municipalities such as Brezina, Ain El-Araq, Chekik, and Tousmoulin, allowing children to benefit from the program. Additionally, children will visit archaeological and historical sites.
In Mostaganem, the festival includes theatrical performances and workshops on reading, summarization, drawing, coloring, Arabic calligraphy, and comic strips. At the “Moulay Belhamissi” main public reading library and its branches in Ain Tedles, Bouguirat, and Mostaganem (Salamander district and the Liberation Army district), book exhibitions are held. A symposium on books and readership is scheduled for next Thursday.
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Reading in Celebration festival
