Khaberni - “Path to Knowledge” library at Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation celebrated this Thursday evening honoring the winners of the "16 Before 16" competition for 2025, organized by the library for children and youth in two age groups (7-11) years and (12–16) years.
Six winners were selected in this edition out of 21 finalists and from a total of 1,037 applicants from all governorates of Jordan. In the (7-11) age group, Rahma Mohammad Al-Omairien won first place, Ilham Ali Al-Sherif in second place, and Joli Hekmat Abdulrahman in third place. In the (12-16) age group, Lin Mohammad Daghash won first place, Lamar Bilal Hamoud in second place, and Salma Abdulrahman Al-Saadi in third place.
The "16 Before 16" competition aims to encourage reading various books and stories and nurture a self-aware and capable generation. Participants read 16 different types of books from a specified list, then summarize the book details in the competition booklet. The summaries are evaluated by an internal committee that nominates the best participants for the interview stage. The three top places in each age group are determined after conducting interviews and discussing the summaries with the participants.
The CEO of the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, Valentina Qsissia, congratulated the winners in her speech during the ceremony for their achievements, expressing the foundation's pride in them and their participation in the competition.
She highlighted the importance of promoting the reading habit among children and youth, affirming that reading is one of the most vital human needs in life and that books provide knowledge and diverse perspectives essential for self and community development.
Valentina pointed out that reading helps children and youth enhance bonding and strengthen relationships with family and community, emphasizing that parents spending time reading with their children significantly influences their development and also helps build trust, fostering positive growth and development in children.
At the end of the ceremony, Qsissia distributed certificates to participants from the shortlist, as well as certificates and prizes to the top three winners from both age groups.
It is worth mentioning that the "16 Before 16" competition was launched at the Path to Knowledge Library in 2018. It is an open reading competition aimed at encouraging children and youth to read and make the library a part of their daily interests, breaking the stereotype about libraries. The competition requires reading 16 books on different topics, summarizing them, and expressing them in the participant's unique way. Three winners are selected for each age group based on evaluation criteria.
The “Path to Knowledge” library, affiliated with the Shoman Foundation, serves as a free and vibrant space for children of various ages and backgrounds. Here, they engage in reading and creative interactive activities, which encourage them to develop and refine their creative abilities.
