Arab Reading Champion 2025 to be crowned in Dubai on October 23

Dubai: The final round of the Community Champion category of the 9th Arab Reading Challenge began today in Dubai, spotlighting students’ ability to articulate ideas from their extensive reading.

The overall Arab Reading Champion will be announced during the concluding ceremony on 23 October at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Community Champion finals

Students competing in the Community Champion category advanced through multiple rounds of the ninth edition. In the final round, participants face an oral assessment where they present the key ideas and insights from 25 books they have read.

Judges evaluate their reading comprehension, critical thinking, analytical skills, and ability to articulate ideas confidently in eloquent Arabic. The Community Champion category, launched in the third edition, allows participation from students outside the Arab world, including learners of Arabic and non-native speakers.

Elevating the Arabic language

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Secretary-General of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), said the Arab Reading Challenge continues to expand across the Arab world and beyond, positively impacting education, culture, and the status of the Arabic language.

“This reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to prioritise knowledge, nurture new generations, and promote reading as a pathway to refining talents and capabilities,” Al Gergawi said. He highlighted the role of expatriate communities in preserving Arabic language and culture, praising their commitment to the initiative.

Record participation

Operating under MBRGI, the ninth edition of the challenge saw record engagement: more than 32 million students from 50 countries, across 132,112 schools, guided by 161,004 supervisors.

Finalists from around the world

The students advancing to the Community Champion finals include: Tuqa Ahmed Hashim (Australia), Baraa Radwan Al Zaeem (Brazil), Jannat Arkan Mohammed (China), Masa Al Khateeb (Germany), Nawar Mawed (Norway), Lilia Burhan (Austria), Razan Hassan Al Masri (USA), Mirna Ahmed Shamsuddine (Greece), Jehad Mohammed Murad (Italy), Najmuddine Rashid Nemeh (England), Jood Naddaf (Belgium), Norseen Shorfi (Türkiye), Qassim Amed Qassim (Scotland), Alma Al Muti (Switzerland), Tahseen Yousef Al Droobi (Finland), Abdulrahman Mahmoud Badr (Canada), Tayem Al Elaiwi (Luxembourg), Ibtisam Adeeb (Malaysia), Yara Musa Eid (New Zealand), Zaid Sarhan (France), Raghad Mohammaed Ziad (The Netherlands), Mohammed Mafongal (India), Sondos Al Hindi (Ireland), Maria Naqawa (Sweden), Mariam Omar Adib (Denmark), and Rahmat Anchuri (Indonesia).

Past Community Champion winners include Tasneem Aidi (France), Mahmoud Bilal (Sweden), Alexander Voros (Italy), Nada Al Satri (Belgium), Mohammed Abdulraqib Ali Ahmed Al Kawkabani (Malaysia), and Mohammed Al-Refaie (Sweden).

A passion for knowledge

Launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2015, the Arab Reading Challenge is the world’s largest Arabic literacy initiative. Its mission is to instil a love for reading, strengthen language skills, and nurture young Arabs’ knowledge and character.

The initiative encourages cross-cultural understanding, tolerance, and coexistence, equipping students with skills to build a better future while promoting Arabic as a vibrant, living language worldwide.