Damascus, Feb. 8 (SANA) Seven-year-old Syrian girl Wateen al-Masri wandered through the children’s section of the Damascus International Book Fair with a clear purpose: finding books, not toys.
Travelling from Daraa, southern Syria, al-Masri said books represent a world of beauty and discovery. “They are not just paper,” she told SANA. “They are where stories begin and knowledge opens its doors.”
Al-Masri has already read more than 100 books, taken part in a national reading challenge, and memorized poetry by classical Arab scholars and poets, reflecting a growing passion for the Arabic language at an early age.
For her, this year’s book fair carried special meaning. She described it as having the “taste of freedom”, the freedom to read, dream and choose without fear.
Standing in the heart of Damascus, al-Masri delivered a simple message to other children absorbed by screens: “Read books.”
Coming from a city that has endured years of hardship, the young reader’s journey from Daraa to Damascus reflects a wider story of resilience, where books remain a source of hope, imagination and learning for Syria’s next generation.
M.S
