Green Pages
Photo of seedlings by Ahmad AlThani.
As a collection of layered stones inspired by the geological nature of Saudi Arabia, Ithra's architecture directly takes from nature, but Ithra's programs give back to nature as well. To find out more about Ithra's story click here.
Ithra’s deep connection with the region’s natural environment goes beyond the aesthetic aspects of the building. It extends to a societal responsibility reflected in its various programs. For instance, through the "iRead Marathon" – where the premise was that a tree would be planted for every 100 pages read– more than 24,000 seedlings have been planted across Qatif and Al-Ahsa over four consecutive editions, in collaboration with the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) in Saudi Arabia, along with relevant authorities.
The architect Cass Gilbert once said, “Books are the most enduring monuments of man's achievements.” With iRead Marathon, we try to replenish one of nature’s most enduring monuments, its trees. Reading is not an isolated act, it leaves a lasting impact on both minds and nature alike. Your continued reading contributes to the book industry, and every 100 pages read ensures the opportunity for more pages to be printed.
Ready for the numbers? The first edition, held at Ithra Library, saw 162,000 pages read. The second edition, hosted at Ithra Library alongside two libraries in Riyadh and Tabuk, recorded 422,000 pages. The third edition, in collaboration with the Library of Alexandria in Egypt and the National Library of Morocco, reached 326,000 pages.
And the surprise? The fourth edition, held in partnership with 17 Arab libraries, witnessed around 1.5 million pages read. An immense number of pages, and seedlings!
Don’t miss next year’s edition to join in the fun!
