Dubai: The Arab Reading Challenge team has set up the first library in Algerian Adrar city in memory of Fatima Gulam, an Algerian student who died in a tragic accident on her way to participate in the finals of the reading challenge.
The move is in line with the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who had ordered the establishment of 10 libraries bearing the reading martyr’s name, a name that forever will be remembered as a martyr of knowledge.
The team also honoured the family of the 17-year-old student with the first place award of the second edition of the reading challenge along with an appreciation certificate in memory of Fatima Gulam.
Najla Al Shamsi, Secretary General of the Arab Reading Challenge, said: “Shaikh Mohammad’s tribute to such a determined young seeker of knowledge and his directives to set up 10 libraries bearing Fatima’s name is part of his great efforts to promote reading and honour knowledge top achievers from among Arab students participating in the challenge.”
She pointed out that Shaikh Mohammad and the organisers of the reading challenge are proud of the millions of Arab students participating in the second edition of the competition, especially those who go through exceptional circumstances and struggle to beat their harsh living conditions in pursuit to nurture their minds with knowledge.
“With her determination and strong will, Fatima serves as a role model that would be emulated by Arab students, and honouring her is an honour for every student participating in the reading challenge,” Al Shamsi said.
Following the news about the tragic death of Fatima, Shaikh Mohammad expressed his heartfelt condolences to the parents of Fatima and applauded her determination as she travelled 1,500 kilometres, about 18 hours, by car to reach the capital Algiers before a tragic accident took her away.
The Arab reading Challenge team will continue to establish nine school libraries bearing Fatima’s name in coordination with the Algerian Ministry of Education.
Each library will be supplied with thousands of books to ensure that students, who live in different parts of Algeria, have access to books and sources of knowledge, and encourage them to participate in the challenge which already received high level of participation in its second edition from Algeria, where more than 2.2 million Algerian students have registered for the challenge.
