AUC Launches iRead Affiliate Club to Boost Reading Culture Across Egypt, MENA
In hopes of strengthening the love of literature in Egypt, AUC students are collaborating with iRead Middle East to establish AUC’s newest student-led organization: iRead AUC.
“iRead AUC will be a platform for students to spread their wings,” says Nouran Reda, a public administration graduate student at AUC and a leader of the iRead initiative, which launched in 2019 as a massive campaign seeking to encourage reading among youth in the Middle East.
Through large events and celebrity testimonials that highlight the impact of reading, iRead is hoping to reinspire millions to pick up a book.
Previously partnering with student events at the University, iRead captured the imagination and visionary outlook of graduate students, which sparked the idea to launch the club.
“This is a dynamic and long-awaited initiative by graduate students aimed at providing projects and programs that support the reading and writing culture at AUC, Egypt and the region,” said Mervat Abou Oaf ‘88, ‘02, professor of practice at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and iRead AUC faculty advisor. “Students will hold events, contests and seminars among our diverse national, regional and international student body.”
Author Ahmed Mourad and Sherine Rashed, co-founders of iRead Middle East, expressed their excitement at bringing the iRead initiative to AUC students.
“The club will promote reading and an appreciation for texts, revamp passion for reading and writing and create an exciting safe haven for readers and writers to be able to indulge and grow their passions for literature, fashion, film, music and cultural arts,” Rashed said.
Reda was inspired by Rashed’s vision to join the iRead initiative. “[Rashed] wanted to allow a space for young and creative minds who are eager to make a difference,” said Reda. “I believe this club will transcend to more than an extracurricular or cocurricular activity — it will become a space for opportunities.”
Mostafa Sobhy, president of the Graduate Student Association, described how iRead AUC will stand out, particularly in its collaboration with a regional entity such as iRead Middle East. “What’s unique is that iRead AUC will give the opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to work together and also to be ambassadors for the larger iRead Middle East,” he said.
Shortly following the club’s launch, Reda helped organize the first iRead Club Summit at AUC, under the theme of “Fairy Tales Reimagined.”
She was excited for the event, as she herself could not relate to many of the damsels in distress described in the fairy tales she read while growing up. “I could not fathom why Cinderella couldn’t try and save herself,” she said. “I grew up realizing that this entrenched within me some toxic norms.”
Doing its part to “rewrite the story,” the event encouraged the role and agency of women in society, affirming women's empowerment through the intellectual initiatives of literary, artistic and cultural projects in the Arab region.
“It was about time for us to revisit the stories we tell our children and forthcoming generations,” Reda said. “Do we really have to tell a little girl that her safety is subject to the presence of a male figure in her life? Or do we want to reflect our reality in beautiful, positive and aesthetic ways? Maybe then we can actually notice change when it comes to gender roles in society.”
As tighter event restrictions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic have been lifted on campus, the club is now eager to engage with the community, reigniting a passion for reading, self-exploration and vigorous discussions within AUC and beyond.
“The club will host several events in the coming period. It will be operating at full capacity starting fall 2022,” said Nouran Hassan, senior specialist of student organizations, who has worked closely in launching the club.
Reda adds, “I believe that iRead AUC will boost the cocurricular activities and role of cultural student organizations at AUC. The summit was only the beginning of many more activities that are guided by the same student-led creative spirit.”
