Mohammed bin Rashid: 40 million students join Arab Reading Challenge

Dubai: More than 40 million students from 138,000 schools across 60 countries took part in the 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge, one of the world’s largest literacy initiatives, it was announced on Friday.

In a post on X, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said the continued growth of the initiative reflects the UAE’s long-term commitment to investing in education and building future generations equipped with knowledge and critical skills.

“Our journey with the Arab Reading Challenge continues,” Sheikh Mohammed said, adding “Our nation-building projects do not stop. They are driven by our firm belief in the importance of developing educated, aware generations equipped with the skills of the future,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

Quoting a well-known Quranic verse, he added: “As for the foam, it vanishes, but what benefits people remains on earth,” describing the reading challenge as a project with a lasting impact on millions of students.

Launched in 2015 under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, the Arab Reading Challenge encourages students across the Arab world and beyond to read and summarise dozens of books each academic year, with the aim of strengthening literacy, critical thinking and lifelong learning habits.

Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed continued support for the initiative, describing it as a long-term investment in knowledge and a project that will continue to benefit students and societies alike.