Rabat, April 26, 2025. In a vibrant celebration of literacy and culture, the winners of the 2025 National Reading Award and the National Award for Best Reading Club were honored today at the International Book and Publishing Fair.

In her opening address, Rachida Raqi, President of the Reading Network in Morocco, expressed her pride in the growing community of readers: "Today, we come together to celebrate Morocco’s readers. This new edition reaffirms that the passion for reading is still thriving. Over 5,000 participants took part this year. From this stage, we also extend our unwavering support to the Palestinian people." The ceremony featured a moving recital of Mahmoud Darwish’s poem "Think of Others," performed in solidarity with Palestine, underscoring the event’s cultural and human solidarity spirit.

Professor Sebata, a member of the award jury, shed light on the rigorous selection process: "Being a jury member in a reading competition is no easy task. We based our evaluations on several criteria: the number of books read, the diversity of genres explored, the quality of the written reviews, and a live meeting with each reader."

This year’s outstanding readers included Ferdaws Jaafar, Yasser Alaoui, Charef Tarek, and Aya Hamdoun in the children's category; Mohamed Benchaoud and Ferdaws Errami among middle school students; Rim Chomanti El Houari and Hind Driassi in the high school category; and Ferdaws Ben Yaacoub and Omar Loukiliya at the higher education level.

Several reading clubs were also recognized for their excellence, including Al-Waha Club, Brahim Roudani Reading Club, Reading and Creativity Club, Brahim Roudani Middle School Reading Club, Toujtat Al Jadida High School Reading Club, Moulay Idriss High School Reading Club, and the Excellence Reading Club at Dar Taliba Al Raedat.

The 2025 National Reading Awards not only celebrated individual and collective achievements but also highlighted Morocco’s ongoing investment in building a literate, critical, and engaged society. As thousands of readers continue to find inspiration in books, the future of Moroccan culture promises to be as bright as the passion ignited today.