Students and teachers last week participated in a Reading Marathon organised by Mirdif Private School in support of the Million Book Challenge, a campaign launched by Dubai Cares.
Dubai Cares is a charitable establishment that aims to provide access to quality primary education in developing countries.
The Million Book Challenge is the first in a series of initiatives launched under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as part of Dubai Cares' Volunteer Campaign.
The Million Book Challenge invites school students ages 3 to 14 to collectively read 1,000,000 books in two weeks.
For each book read, Dubai Cares will purchase a book and donate it to children in need in their local language.
The distribution of books will be managed by global organisation Room to Read (www.roomtoread.org) and, for books in the Arab world, Arab non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The books will be donated to children around the world who do not currently have access to books.
At Mirdif Private School, students read 1,311 books in less than two hours, from 8 to 9.45am.
This was followed by a programme of fun activities. Students were requested to leave their school bags home and instead, bring a story or two to swap with classmates.
Dubai Cares also gives residents and visitors in the UAE an opportunity to strengthen literacy in developing countries by sponsoring a book for Dh10 each.
The books will be donated to children around the world who do not currently have access to books.
