Dubai: The winners of the Arab Reading Challenge, along with hundreds of students from across the UAE, were honoured on Thursday at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) Dubai Men’s College at Dubai Academic City.
The pan-Arab reading competition targets school students in 15 Arab countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania — to read at least 50 books in Arabic during one academic year.
In the UAE alone, 50,000 students have completed reading 50 books as part of the competition, and have all received an appreciation certificate signed by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The top 10 candidates from each emirate were also awarded medals and trophies.
All winner and participants at the ceremony were presented their awards by Hussain Ebrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education.
The award for the most outstanding reader among UAE students went to 17-year-old Emirati Fatima Ahmad Bin Bakhit Al Nuaimi from Ras Al Khaima, who took home $10,000 (Dh36,731) along with a signed certificate presented by Shaikh Mohammad.
Al Nuaimi, who has read more than 500 books so far, will be competing with winners from other Arab countries for the first place position, which is set to be announced in September in Dubai.
Along with Al Nuaimi, the top 10 winners from each emirate gathered at the award ceremony with their families, to celebrate their achievements.
Gulf News spoke to Egyptian Ala’a Rajab Hamoud, 17, who was the first place winner for Umm Al Quwain and seventh place winner in the UAE. “I’ve always been a reader, and I worked hard and have finally got to first place. Today, I’m ecstatic,” said Hamoud, who is a student at Al Mulla School.
She explained that out of the 50 books she read for the competition, her favourite is Do not despair, a book that talks about hope. “It’s my favourite book because it talks about picking yourself up every time you fall and trying again. It’s about never giving up,” said Hamoud.
Also in first place, Latifa Al Shamsi, 14, won the award for Abu Dhabi, and came third in the UAE. Al Shamsi, who is a student at Hissa Bin Mohammad School in Abu Dhabi, said she has always been a regular reader and is especially interested in psychology and science fiction.
“My favourite book is called Because I am black, and talks about issues surrounding racism, and people’s views of white and black in their society,” she said.
Sharjah’s first-place winner was nine-year-old Fatima Farj Hassan Al Ameri, a student at Sharjah Private School. Coming in fourth place in the UAE, Al Ameri said reading is one of her many hobbies. “I read 100 books, but wrote down the summaries of 50 for the competition. I also love to read poetry, play the piano, and practise ju-jitsu,” she said.
Coming in at second place for Abu Dhabi and fourth in the UAE, Layal Ehab Ishaq, 12, who attends Al Thubiyaniya Private School, said Shaikh Mohammad’s writings are her favourite books. “I read all his books in both Arabic and English, and my favourite is called Flashes of thought. Reading challenges me, and if I feel down or sad, I read and feel better,” said Ishaq.
The Arab Reading Challenge is the largest initiative of its kind ever to have taken place in the region, with over a million students setting out to read 50 million books every academic year.
The challenge is backed by a comprehensive system of motivational and monetary incentives worth $3 million (Dh11.2 million), as well as follow-up mechanisms to continue to promote reading and learning.
The winner from every country will receive $10,000. Meanwhile, the final award ceremony will be held in Dubai in September, where the winning student will get a $150,000 reward. From the reward, $100,000 will be given in the form of a university scholarship and $50,000 in the form of a cash reward to the student’s family for their encouragement.
The school with the most outstanding participation in the Arab World will be rewarded $1 million. The challenge also grants rewards worth $300,000 to excellent teacher supervisors involved in the project, in addition to prizes worth $1 million to participating schools.
Number Country Number of Participants (Numbers are rounded off)
1 Egypt 1,600,000
2 Jordan 187,000
3 UAE 157,000
4 Palestine 100,000
5 Lebanon 22,000
6 Oman 29,500
7 Qatar 20,000
8 Bahrain 18,000
9 Kuwait 15,500
10 Saudi Arabia 393,500
11 Tunisia 66,500
12 Algeria 610,000
13 Morocco 86,000
14 Mauritania 247,500
15 Sudan 31,000
Total: 3,500,000
