His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, extended his congratulations to the winners of the UAE qualifiers for the 7th Arab Reading Challenge. The winners were crowned during a grand ceremony held at the Higher Colleges of Technology – Men’s College. Sheikh Mohammed expressed his pride in the 514,000 students from schools across the UAE who participated in the challenge, joining a total of 24.8 million students worldwide.
Taking to Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed praised the participants and expressed his hope for a new generation that embraces a love for reading and possesses a strong passion for learning and knowledge. He specifically congratulated Amna Mohammad Al Mansoori, who secured the first-place position in the UAE challenge after reading an impressive 128 books during the academic year. Sheikh Mohammed commended Amna’s determination, as she overcame physical challenges and authored two stories. He also highlighted her upcoming representation of the UAE in the International Physics Olympiad in Tokyo, noting her inspiring journey of self-rebuilding and determination.
Sheikh Mohammed also extended his congratulations to Gharib Al Yamahi, who won the country challenge title in the People of Determination category. Gharib, despite being blind, has read 130 braille books, written articles, and demonstrated exceptional speaking and academic skills. Sheikh Mohammed emphasized that Gharib’s accomplishments serve as a reminder for those with good eyesight to reevaluate their reading habits.
The Arab Reading Challenge, organized by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, aims to promote the importance of reading, enhance comprehension and self-expression in the Arabic language, foster creative thinking, and contribute to the enrichment of Arabic content. The challenge reflects Sheikh Mohammed’s vision of a better future driven by knowledge and learning.
Amna Mohammad Al Mansoori, a grade 11 student from Aisha bint Abi Baker School in Abu Dhabi, was crowned the Arab Reading Challenge Champion in the UAE. The country-level qualifiers witnessed the participation of 514,506 students from 921 schools, supervised by 1,578 educators.
The ceremony also recognized Noora Al Shehhi from Sharjah Educational Zone as the recipient of the Outstanding Supervisor Award and Emirates National Schools of Al Ain Education Zone as the Best School Award.
The 7th Arab Reading Challenge saw a remarkable increase in participation, with over 24.8 million students from 46 countries taking part. This year’s edition introduced a dedicated category for People of Determination, highlighting the importance of their inclusion and providing them with an opportunity to showcase their abilities and enhance their skills. The challenge involves several qualification rounds, from class to country level, before moving on to the final round, where winners are selected based on strict and unified criteria.
