His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will present awards to the Arab Reading Champion, as well as the winner in the newly introduced "People of Determination" category. Additionally, the recipients of the Best School, Outstanding Supervisor, and Community Champion awards will be announced. Delegations from 46 countries have arrived in Dubai, and upon their arrival at Dubai International Airport, the organizers of the Arab Reading Challenge warmly welcomed 500 individuals. This group included the semifinalists vying for the title of Arab Reading Champion and Community Champion, as well as the top 10 students chosen from each Arab country, along with their supervisors and parents.
Upon their arrival, the participants were greeted with a special entry stamp featuring the Arab Reading Challenge logo, symbolizing the significance of the event.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), expressed, "The Arab Reading Challenge, initiated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2015, has successfully created an enduring culture of reading in the Arab world, aligning with the vision of nurturing an enlightened generation capable of advancing humanity."
He further emphasized that structured reading, complemented by guidance and evaluation, plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the Arab youth acquire a rich and profound learning experience. This approach is aimed at nurturing a generation that excels across various domains and leads their communities to achieve top global standings.
Over the past seven years, the Arab Reading Challenge has evolved into the largest initiative of its kind in the Arab world. It has rekindled the passion for reading Arabic books and has shed light on the richness of the language.
Al Gergawi pointed out that the enthusiasm generated by the challenge is evident in the millions of students who have become avid readers, and numerous academic, educational, social, and cultural institutions have provided the ideal environments for students, enabling the achievement of the challenge's objectives.
The Arab Reading Champion, chosen from among the 24.8 million participants in this year's challenge, will receive a prize of Dh500,000 to support their pursuit of academic excellence and broadened knowledge.
For the first time in the challenge's history, a winner will be named in the 'People of Determination' category. The victor, selected from 22,506 participants, will be awarded Dh200,000. This category was introduced to enhance the inclusion of individuals with determination in the Arab cultural landscape and solidify their positive role in society.
Out of 188,338 participants, three schools have advanced to the finals of the 7th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge, with the "Best School" to be announced on October 31. The winning school will receive a Dh1 million prize to further promote a culture of reading among students and expand their knowledge.
The "Outstanding Supervisor," selected from the 149,826 participants in this year's challenge, will receive Dh300,000 in recognition of their efforts in encouraging students to make reading a daily habit. This award aims to foster healthy competition among supervisors and inspire them to enhance their efforts in empowering students with reading skills and knowledge that contribute to building a better society.
The Community Champion will be announced from among Arab students living in 26 foreign countries, with the champion receiving a Dh100,000 prize.
The semifinalists were chosen based on their ability to articulate ideas, communication and presentation skills, breadth of knowledge, and critical thinking.
The 7th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge for 2023 experienced an 11 percent increase in participation compared to the previous year, with over 24.8 million students, including more than 22,506 people of determination, from 46 countries taking part. They represented over 188,000 schools under the guidance of around 150,000 supervisors. This edition has built upon the success of the challenge since its inception, with the first edition attracting 3.6 million students from 19 countries, and Algerian Mohammed Farah Jalloud being crowned as the inaugural Arab Reading Champion in 2016 at the age of seven.