Mohammed bin Rashid reviews Dh500 million endowment to fund Arab Reading Challenge
Sobha project in Dubai will direct all returns toward reading, culture and Arabic language
Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has reviewed the plans and implementation stages for a Dh500 million endowment project being developed by Sobha Realty in Dubai, with all returns earmarked for the Arab Reading Challenge.
The project will support the initiative’s strategic plans to expand its knowledge and cultural programmes, preserve the Arabic language and give younger Arab generations access to modern knowledge and science.
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Located in Al Barsha South 3, the development is scheduled to begin construction in the first quarter of 2027 and be completed within 36 months.
It will bring together residential units, offices, commercial activities and services, with an architectural approach designed to balance design quality, economic efficiency and operational sustainability.
The review follows the conclusion of the challenge’s 10th edition on Thursday, 29 October, when Sheikh Mohammed crowned Egypt’s Mayar Mohammed Ragab Othman champion at Dubai World Trade Centre.
She received Dh500,000, with Palestine’s Ghazal Rashad Adel Tayyem taking second place and Saudi Arabia’s Rayan bin Adeeb Ali Al Zakeri finishing third.
This year’s competition attracted a record 40.3 million students from 60 countries, an increase of 24 per cent over the previous edition. More than 138,000 schools and 161,000 supervisors took part.
Launched by Sheikh Mohammed in 2015, the Arab Reading Challenge encourages schoolchildren to develop a lasting reading habit and strengthen their command of Arabic.
Organised under Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, it challenges students to read and summarise 50 books during an academic year, broadening their knowledge beyond the classroom.
