Arab Reading Challenge winner Mayar Othman thanks Sheikh Mohammed, the 'true hope maker'

Mayar Mohamed Ragab Othman, the Arab Reading Challenge champion representing the Arab Republic of Egypt,

thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, describing him as a true maker of hope for launching the Arab Reading Challenge. She said that the initiative has empowered students to discover their talents, embrace reading, and deepen their appreciation of Arabic, enabling them to savour its beauty and the musicality of its words.

She expressed deep pride in her country and its rich cultural and civilisational heritage. She highlighted the initiative’s vital role in discovering students’ talents, strengthening their connection to books, and nurturing a love for the Arabic language and its beauty.

In her address, Mayar described her homeland as the land of minarets and pyramids, a cradle of civilisation and home to great scholars. She paid tribute to some of Egypt’s most celebrated literary and artistic figures, including Ahmed Shawqi, Naguib Mahfouz, Mohamed Abdulwahhab, and Umm Kulthum, alongside renowned scientist Ahmed Zewail and world-class heart surgeon Dr. Magdi Yacoub.

She spoke of Egypt as the heart of the Arab nation and expressed her pride in representing her homeland in a cultural initiative that celebrates reading and strengthens the place of Arabic among younger generations.