PRINCESS ADELA BINT ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION FOR THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE, THE BRACH OF MAKKAH REGION, INAUGURATED HERE YESTERDAY NIGHT AN ENLIGHTENMENT PROGRAM FOR ENCOURAGING READING HABIT AMONG CHILDREN. THE EVENT WAS ORGANIZED BY "AL-ILM" CHARITABLE FOUNDATION IN JEDDAH. SPEAKING ON THE OCCASION, PRINCESS ADELA SAID THE HABIT OF READING CONSTITUTES A MAJOR SOURCE IN DEVELOPING BRAIN AND WIDENING HORIZONS. SHE NOTED THAT EFFORTS ARE BEING EXERTED IN THE ARAB WORLD FOR THE REVIVAL OF THE HABIT OF READING WHICH IS FOUND TO BE NOT ADEQUATE AT PRESENT. PRINCESS ADELA POINTED OUT THAT ACCORDING TO REPORTS OF UNESCO, ARAB CITIZENS READ WITH AN AVERAGE OF ONLY SIX MINUTES PER YEAR. MEANWHILE, ONE BOOK IS ISSUED IN THE ARAB WORLD FOR EVERY 350,000 CITIZENS, WHILE ONE BOOK IS ISSUED FOR EACH 15,000 CITIZENS IN EUROPE. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE PRINCESS SAID THE CONSUMPTION OF PAPERS BY ALL ARAB PUBLISHING HOUSES IS EQUAL TO THE CONSUMPTION OF ONLY ONE FRENCH PUBLISHING HOUSE. THE PRINCESS SAID THE OLDEST CAMPAIGNS FOR ENCOURAGING READING IN EACH OF PALESTINE, TUNISIA AND EGYPT DOES NOT EXCEED 12 YEARS. SHE NOTED THAT THERE ARE NEW INITIATIVES FOR ENCOURAGING READING IN LEBANON, JORDAN AND MAURITANIA. THE ARAB COUNTRIES HAVE RECENTLY REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF ENCOURAGING READING BY THE CHILDREN AND THE YOUTH SO AS TO MAKE IT (READING) COMPETITIVE TO THE FACILITIES OF THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY LIKE TELEVISION, VIDEO GAMES AND COMPUTER. --MORE
