Abu Dhabi student crowned UAE champion of 10th Arab Reading Challenge
Emirati student tops record 830,000 participants in UAE level reading competition
Dubai: Abu Dhabi student Dana Adel Al Zarooni was crowned the UAE champion of the 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge on Thursday after outperforming more than 830,000 students who took part in the competition from schools across the country.
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, honoured the winner in the presence of Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of Education, during a ceremony held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai.
Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.
The event honoured the top performers in the UAE qualifiers of the Arab Reading Challenge, the world’s largest project to promote reading among students, which recorded its highest-ever participation at the national level this year.
Sharjah student Hamad Mohammed bin Al Hashmi became the runner up.
Sheikh Latifa also honoured Yousef Mohammed Hamed, a visually challenged student of Al Qudwa Boys’ School, Sharjah, as the winner of the People of Determination Category.
Senior officials, educators, representatives of the Arab Reading Challenge initiative, and prominent figures from the education and knowledge sectors attended the ceremony, alongside students, teachers and parents of finalists.
The 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge achieved unprecedented participation globally, attracting 40,286,428 students from 60 countries. Participants represented 138,426 schools and were supported by 161,507 supervisors.
Largest reading initiative
Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Arab Reading Challenge is one of the flagship initiatives under the umbrella of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI).
Launched during the 2015-2016 academic year, the Arab Reading Challenge has grown into the world's largest Arabic-language reading initiative.
The initiative seeks to promote a culture of reading among students across the Arab world and beyond, strengthen creative thinking skills and inspire lifelong learning. It also aims to reinforce the status of the Arabic language as a language of science, literature and knowledge, while encouraging younger generations to use Arabic in their daily lives.
The challenge further promotes openness to other cultures and supports the values of tolerance, coexistence and acceptance, while empowering young people to develop their capabilities and realise their full potential.
