Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

The “Arab Reading Challenge” TV show is all set to go on air on Friday on MBC1 as millions of viewers can tune in for the first episode at 9pm (UAE timing). The first-of-its kind reality show will air every Friday, as 16 semi-finalists from 14 countries compete over eight episodes to become the Arab Reading Champion 2019.  

Viewers will closely follow the contestants’ progress and performance as they partake a set of edutainment challenges and activities and answer tough questions before a panel of judges.

 The show will provide an insight on the evaluation process of contestants, filtering them down to five finalists who will reach the final ceremony, which will announce the winner of the 4th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge on the last episode to be broadcasted live.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives have turned the challenge’s semi-finals into a TV show this year to highlight the importance of reading in shaping young personalities and recognise young readers who worked tirelessly to develop their personalities and reached this far into the competition.

The show is produced by Fremantle, the creators of the widely-acclaimed talent shows including “The X Factor,” and “Arabs Got Talent.” The winner, to be announced in November at a grand ceremony in Dubai Opera, will take home Dhs500,000 as part of the challenge that distributes Dhs11 million worth of cash prizes.

The Arab Reading Challenge has transformed into a wide phenomenon that continues to attract an increasing number of participants. The challenge’s 4th edition has attracted a whopping 13.5 million students from 49 countries, a fourfold rise from the first edition that saw 3.5 million students from 15 countries in 2016. The challenge witnessed double the participation in 2017, compared to its first edition, with over 7.4 million students from 15 countries.

Last year, the number of participants reached over 10.5 million students from 44 countries after the competition opened the doors to Arab students living in foreign countries for the first time. Over four years, the challenge has attracted over 30 million students.

Moroccan Mariam Amjoun was crowned the Arab Reading Champion last year, while Al Ekhlas School from Kuwait won the “Best School” award, ahead of 52,000 schools, for its diverse reading initiatives and programmes that encouraged students to take up books at a young age. Out of 86,000 supervisors, Aisha Al Tuwairki from Saudi Arabia bagged the “outstanding supervisor” award.