His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, reaffirmed that the UAE remains committed to spreading knowledge as a core national value that inspires the mission to nurture an Arab generation driven by a love for learning, broadening horizons, and serving their homelands.
Under the patronage and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ninth edition of the Arab Reading Challenge will conclude with a grand ceremony on October 23, 2025, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where the winners will be crowned.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stated, “Next Thursday, we celebrate 32 million students from 132,000 schools who participated in the ninth edition of the world’s largest reading competition.” He added that the steadfast efforts of millions of students reading 50 books annually is a testament to the unending passion for knowledge and that reading remains the foundation for reviving civilizations, preserving the Arabic language, and sustaining the cultural spirit of the Arab world.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), explained that the Arab Reading Challenge, established in 2015 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, reflects the UAE’s enduring commitment to advancing education and cultural development across the Arab world. This initiative motivates students to read, understand global cultures, enhance their connection with the Arabic language, and foster intellectual curiosity, empowering them with the skills necessary for lifelong learning and future success.
Al Gergawi emphasized that the record participation in the ninth edition highlights the Challenge’s immense achievements and reinforces confidence in the new Arab generations’ ability to embrace modern knowledge and contribute to a knowledge-driven future. He noted that the success of the event is the result of close collaboration between MBRGI and educational institutions across the participating countries during all qualification stages.
The MBRGI, which organizes the Challenge, has finalized all preparations to unveil the winners of the ninth edition, which saw participation from over 32 million students, representing 50 countries, 132,112 schools, and supported by 161,004 supervisors—making it the largest Arabic-language reading initiative in the world.
The closing ceremony will honor winners across several categories, including the Arab Reading Challenge Champion 2025, the People of Determination Champion, the Best School, the Outstanding Supervisor, and the Communities Champion. The Arab Reading Champion will be awarded AED500,000, while the second and third-place winners will receive AED100,000 and AED70,000, respectively.
Country-level champions competing for the grand title include Adam Al Rawdani (Morocco), AlGhala Abdullah Al Hajeri (Qatar), Edris Ali Alyami (Saudi Arabia), Baraa Mohammed Saeed (Djibouti), Mohammed Ahmed Al Hassanin (Al Azhar Al Sharif), Hiba Abu Baker (Palestine), Taghreed Mohammed (Egypt), Ghaleya Naser Al Anazi (Kuwait), Mohammed Jassim Ibrahim (Bahrain), Mariam Mohammed Shamekh (Mauritania), Lamar Tariq Al Jaafreh (Jordan), Abdulrazzaq Al Asmar (Lebanon), Reem Adel Al Zarouni (UAE), Aysha Nizar Kazim (Iraq), the twins Bisan and Baylasan Kouka (Tunisia), Nuha Taha Abdulsalam (Libya), Rahaf Sami Abdullah (Yemen), and Nardeen Fadi Issa (Syria).
In the People of Determination category, the top three winners will receive AED200,000, AED100,000, and AED50,000, respectively. The country-level champions include Weam Shakouk (Morocco), Ali Nasser Dalmouk (Qatar), Rafeef Mohammed Al Senani (Saudi Arabia), Mohammed Reda Suleiman (Al Azhar Al Sharif), Hala Abdullah Salahuddin (Palestine), Basmala Salahuddin Suleiman (Egypt), Rasha Salman Al Khalaf (Kuwait), Fatima Kazim Mohammed (Bahrain), Layan Adnan Manasrah (Jordan), Thulfiqar Ali Sabra (Lebanon), Abdullah Ahmed Al Dhanhani (UAE), Maria Hassan Ojail (Iraq), Rahma Budann (Tunisia), Moyaadulhaq Ali Al Zain (Libya), Anhar Abdulkarim Abdulrahman (Yemen), and Mohammed Turba Dar (Syria).
The Community Champion award, with a total prize fund of AED200,000, will allocate AED100,000 for the first prize, AED70,000 for the second, and AED30,000 for the third place. Additionally, the Best School accolade will recognize the school that excelled in promoting participation, ensuring student engagement, and fostering a strong reading culture aligned with the Challenge’s objectives. The top school will be awarded AED1 million, with AED500,000 and AED300,000 allocated to the second and third place winners, respectively.
Schools named as country-level winners in this category include Fatima Al Andalusia School (Morocco), Bilal bin Rabah School (Qatar), Ibn Khaldoun Primary School – Al Nafal (Saudi Arabia), Al Atara Secondary School for Girls (Palestine), Balkim Primary School (Egypt), Abraq Khaitan Middle School (Kuwait), Al Hidd Intermediate School (Bahrain), Tarablus Al Haddadin School (Lebanon), Al Fajr Modern School (Mauritania), Atika bint Zaid School – 1st Cycle (UAE), Hafir Al Mahr School (Tunisia), Qaraqra Intermediate School (Libya), and Al Bayan Model School (Syria).
The Outstanding Supervisor award will honor individuals who have played a key role in nurturing reading habits, mentoring participants, overseeing book selections, and offering guidance to students. The prizes include AED300,000 for the first winner, AED100,000 for the runner-up, and AED50,000 for third place. Qualifying supervisors include Al Saadiya Azado (Morocco), Ali Salim Saffouri (Qatar), Maha Saeed Al Thubaiti (Saudi Arabia), Rana Farid Salmi (Palestine), Sahar Misbah (Egypt), Fatima Salem Muhsin (Kuwait), Shaikha Mohammed Al Rumeihi (Bahrain), Osama Al Safi (Jordan), Inath Baydoun (Lebanon), Khadija Mohammed Bezied (Mauritania), Zahra Hamad Ibrahim (UAE), Aliyya Bu Ishaq (Tunisia), Bashir Mohammed Al Eisawi (Libya), and Rashad Salem Ahmed (Syria).
Since its inception, the Arab Reading Challenge has engaged more than 163 million students, 927,000 schools, and over 877,000 supervisors across nine editions, demonstrating an impressive growth rate of 795%—from 3.6 million participants in the first edition to 32 million in the ninth. The eighth edition attracted 28.2 million students from 50 countries, with winners including Hatem Mohammed Jassim Al Tarkawi (Syria), Kadi bint Musaffar Al Khathaami (Saudi Arabia), and Salsabil Hassan Sawalha (Palestine). Al Ibdaa School – Cycle 1 (UAE) was recognized as Best School, Rabie Ahmed (Syria) as Outstanding Supervisor, and Mohammed Al-Refaie (Sweden) as Community Champion.
Launched in 2015 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Arab Reading Challenge stands as the largest Arabic literacy initiative. Its goal is to foster reading among Arab youth and beyond, enhance comprehension, nurture self-expression, and kindle a deep appreciation for the Arabic language. The challenge continues to strengthen the spirit of learning, understanding, and cultural openness that lies at the heart of knowledge-driven progress.
