Sheikh Mohammed congratulates winners of UAE-level qualifiers for 8th Arab Reading Challenge

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated winners of the UAE-level qualifiers for the 8th Arab Reading Challenge.

Ahmad Faisal Ali won the UAE-level 8th Arab Reading Challenge title, ahead of over 700,000 students from 1,174 schools who participated in the challenge under the guidance of 1,897 supervisors.

On his official X account, Sheikh Mohammed said: "I am incredibly proud of the 700,000 students across the UAE who participated in the Arab Reading Challenge, with many completing the challenge of reading 50 books throughout the academic year. Congratulations to the winners who were announced today. Their accomplishment fills me with optimism for the Emirati generation who demonstrate dedication to reading and acquiring knowledge. I am confident that these youth, proud of their identity, will have the understanding and capacity to appreciate the diverse cultures of our world, all while playing a vital role in building the future of the UAE."

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) has on Tuesday organised the ceremony to honour winners of the UAE qualifying rounds for the 8th Arab Reading Challenge, hosted at the Dubai World Trade Center in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education; His Excellency Sheikh Salem Bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Culture; Her Excellency Maryam Bint Ahmed Al Hammadi, Minister of State, Secretary General of the UAE CaBinet; and His Excellency Saeed Mohammad Al Eter, Assistant Secretary General of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI).

The 8th Arab Reading Challenge attracted wide participation unprecedented in the years since its launch in the 2015-2016 academic year under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with over 700,000 students competing from across the UAE.

Sarah Bint Yousif Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology and Chairperson of the Emirates Schools Establishment, crowned student Ahmad Faisal Ali the UAE winner of the 8th Arab Reading Challenge Country-level title.

In its latest edition, the Arab Reading Challenge, running under the umbrella of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), attracted a record 28.2 million participating students from 50 countries, representing 229,620 schools and guided by 154,643 supervisors.

Exceptional ceremony

9th grader Ahmad Faisal Ali from Zayed Education Complex in Al Barsha received the title in a ceremony attended by Dr. Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) alongside a host of officials, educators and parents of participating students.

Eng. Mohammed Al Qasem, Director General of the Emirates Schools Establishment awarded Asem Abbara, from Abu Dhabi, the title of “Outstanding Supervisor” during the ceremony, and awarded Al Ebdaa Model School – Cycle 1 in Dubai with the “Outstanding School” title.

For the People of Determination category, Sulaiman Khamis Sulaiman Al Khadim, from Zayed Education Complex in Dibba Al Fujairah, came first following intense competition among the three finalists who made it to this round of qualifiers.

Intense competition

At the UAE level, 10 students made it to the final round of qualifiers, including – in addition to Ahmad Faisal Ali: Saud Ahmad Salem Al Kaabi (Grade 7, Al Qodwa School for Boys, 2nd Cycle, Sharjah), Khalid Abdullah Al Hammadi (Grade 12, Institute of Applied Technology, Abu Dhabi), Aisha Humaid Obaid Al Khayyal (Grade 7, Al Manar Model School, Sharjah), Hamed Ahmed Mohammed Al Hafiti (Grade 7, Hamad Bin Abdullah Al Sharqi School, 2nd and 3rd Cycles, Fujairah), Medyah Saif Al Tenaiji (Grade 7, Falaj Al Mualla School, 2nd and 3rd Cycles, Umm Al Quwain), Abdulrahman Essa Al Khater (Grade 12, Al Jazira Al Hamra School, 2nd and 3rd Cycles, Ras Al Khaimah), Mariam Mashhour (Grade 11, Yas School, Abu Dhabi), Hessa Hassan Al Bloushi (Grade 8, City American School, Ajman) and Alia Al Sayyed Al Shahhat (Grade 7, Baaya School, Al Dhafra).

In its 7th edition, the Arab Reading Challenge saw the participation of 24.8 million students from 46 countries around the world, with Abdullah Al-Bari from Qatar and Amna Almansoori from the UAE sharing the title of Arab Reading Champion 2023.

Investing in people

Sarah Al Amiri said the Arab Reading Challenge initiative, launched by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid, embodies the UAE’s message of culture and civilization to the world. The initiative underscores the commitment of the UAE’s leadership to investing in future generations by empowering them through knowledge and enabling them to carry forward this region’s legacy of contributions that enriched human civilization.

Over the years, the Arab Reading Challenge has become a key initiative, sought after by students across the UAE, drawing participation from thousands of students each year, and seeing a 350% increase in participation figures since its inception, she noted. Al Amiri congratulated all winners, stressing that the ceremony is a celebration of all 700,000 readers, and urging students to continue their reading journey and expand their horizons by gaining insights into various cultures and genres. She also applauded the efforts of the supervisors and judges who helped make the qualifiers of this edition a resounding success.

Key successes

Dr. Abdulkareem Al Olama noted that the ongoing successes marked by the Arab Reading Challenge since its launch in 2015, reflect the initiative’s prestigious status across the Arab world and among Arab communities around the world, indicating how the Challenge continues to attract more students every year, keen to enrich their knowledge and literacy in the Arabic language.

“UAE students had an outstanding presence during the 8th Arab Reading Challenge, in terms of record participation, strong interaction, commitment to the Challenge criteria and the relentless effort to excel and move ahead. They have revealed great knowledge and impressive abilities in expressing themselves in strong Arabic,” he said, congratulating all winners and participants.

Honing skills

The Arab Reading Challenge aims to create a wide-reaching Arabic reading movement that encourages future generations to use this rich language in their day-to-day interactions, while acquiring the knowledge necessary to hone their skills and create a better future.

The Arab Reading Challenge also helps build a value system that encourages youth to learn about other cultures, which instills the principles of tolerance and coexistence, and opens the door for a global open dialogue.