Dubai to Crown Winners of 10th Arab Reading Challenge Amid Record 40 Million Participants

Sheikh Mohammed emphasised that the UAE remains dedicated to supporting the Arabic language and to raising generations that see reading and knowledge acquisition as the foundation for progress and growth. “The future of a nation begins with nurturing its young minds,” he said. “Our investment in the Reading Challenge is an investment in a better future for all.” He added that the Arabic language had for centuries been a driver of human and social advancement and would reclaim its former glory through the dedication and bright minds of Arab youth.

Record Participation in 10th Edition

Organised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), this year’s challenge drew the highest number of participants in its history: 40,286,428 students from 60 countries, including 74,062 in the People of Determination category. This represents a 24 percent increase from the ninth edition and accounts for 48 percent of all school students across the Arab world. The 10th edition also involved 138,426 schools and 161,507 supervisors.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of MBRGI, said the Arab Reading Challenge embodies Sheikh Mohammed’s vision of prioritising the development of knowledgeable, open-minded generations by equipping young people with learning tools and an environment that fosters reading and knowledge, deepens their appreciation for the Arabic language, encourages exploration of global literature and culture, and helps them build independent thought and self-awareness for their personal and professional futures. “The 10th edition is a major milestone for the Arab Reading Challenge, drawing a record-breaking participation of over 40 million students and expanding across 60 countries for the first time,” Al Gergawi stated. “This remarkable reach reflects the deep appreciation and support the initiative commands across the Arab world and beyond, from communities and governments alike.”

Prize Categories and Winners

MBRGI will honour the country-level champions during the ceremony. The overall Arab Reading Challenge champion will receive Dh500,000, with Dh100,000 for second place and Dh70,000 for third place. In the People of Determination category—added in the seventh edition and requiring participants to read 25 books—the first-place winner gets Dh200,000, second place Dh100,000 and third place Dh50,000.

The Community Champion category, open to students outside the Arab world, non-native Arabic speakers and those learning Arabic as a second language, awards a total of Dh200,000: Dh100,000 for first, Dh70,000 for second and Dh30,000 for third. The Best School title comes with Dh1 million, while the second and third placed schools receive Dh500,000 and Dh300,000 respectively. Outstanding Supervisor prizes are Dh300,000 for first, Dh100,000 for second and Dh50,000 for third. Since the challenge’s launch, total prizes awarded have reached Dh110 million, with Dh11 million given annually.

The country-level champions competing for the 2026 title include: Khadija Bumelik (Morocco), Bana Omar Abdullah (Syria), Omar Mohammed Al Ameri (Qatar), Nour Osama Al Kandari (Kuwait), Lujain Ahmed Abed (Iraq), Mayar Mohammed Ragab Othman (Egypt), Sondos Mohammed Al Sayyed Rehab (Al Azhar Al Sharif), Ghazal Rashad Adel Tayyem (Palestine), Raneem Murshid Al Darweesh (Bahrain), Rayan bin Adeeb Ali Al Zakeri (Saudi Arabia), Aya Mahmoud Mansour Al Tahat (Jordan), Di Shaikhen Al Zamraki (Mauritania), Danah Adel Al Zarouni (UAE), Yasmin Abdulhamid Al Butti (Libya), Baha Maymouni (Tunisia), Manissa Bilal Abu Mahmoud (Lebanon) and Mejalli Abdulrahman Ali Abdullah (Yemen).

Shortlisted People of Determination participants are: Hamza Kameli (Morocco), Mahmoud Imran (Syria), Lina Mohammed Farouq (Qatar), Abdullah Mahmoud Al Mutairi (Kuwait), Sajjad Hassan Mohammed (Iraq), Mohammed Abduljawad Abdulnabi Nagdi (Egypt), Mohammed Al Amir Zakariya Riyad (Al Azhar Al Sharif), Ghazal Ismail Sidqi Daraghmeh (Palestine), Batool Al Sayyed Rida Sharaf (Bahrain), Yousef Mohammed Saeed Hamed (UAE), Rawasi Ramadan Belqasem (Libya), Rawan Ashbooli (Tunisia), Ahmed Ali Qutaish (Lebanon) and Sana Mahmoud Hassan Al Humairi (Yemen).

Shortlisted supervisors for Outstanding Supervisor include: Ezzeddine Al Muwansi (Morocco), Alaa Nasser Sharookh (Syria), Hisham Badreddine Al Sayyed (Qatar), Budoor Faleh Meteb Al Asqa (Kuwait), Dalia Hassanin Ahmed (Egypt), Bani Suwaif area (Al Azhar Al Sharif), Ahed Saleh Aburrob (Palestine), Aysha Al Atawi (Bahrain), Hanan Ali Al Hazemi (Saudi Arabia), Fakhri Mahmoud Mayyas (Jordan), Mohammedo Mohammed Al Amin Mohammed Al Sheikh (Mauritania), Naima Al Amiri (UAE), Awatef Ali Al Shaheyye (Libya), Munir Al Furaiji (Tunisia), Haidar Mushawrab (Lebanon) and Intisar Hassan Amer Al Awadi (Yemen).

Schools competing for Best School are: Lycée Qualifiant Moulay Idriss (Morocco), Al Maha Academy for Boys (Qatar), Al Yarmouk High School for Girls (Kuwait), Martyr Mahmoud Al-Maghrabi Primary School (Egypt), Al Israa Private High School for Boys (Palestine), Saar Secondary School for Girls (Bahrain), Al Aziziyah Private Primary School for Girls (Saudi Arabia), Al-Khalidiyah Secondary Comprehensive Mixed School (Jordan), Afaaq Al Mostaqbal School (Mauritania), Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi School – Cycle 3 (UAE), Sidi Amer School (Tunisia), Sisters of Saint Joseph School (Lebanon) and Al Nawras School (Yemen).

A Decade of Growth

Over its 10 editions, the Arab Reading Challenge has recorded more than 1.065 million school participations, with a total of over 1.193 million reading supervisors. Launched in 2015 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as the largest Arab literacy initiative, the challenge has seen participation grow more than tenfold. The 10th edition’s participation soared by 1,019 percent compared to the inaugural edition, which had 3.6 million students.

In the ninth edition, 32.231 million students from 50 countries took part, representing 132,112 schools and 161,004 supervisors. The main title was awarded to Tunisian twins Bisan and Baylasan Kouka, while Maria Hassan Ajil from Iraq won the People of Determination category. The Outstanding School title was jointly given to Atika Bint Zaid School (Cycle 1) from the UAE and Tarablus Al Haddadin School from Lebanon. Sahar Misbah from Egypt was named Outstanding Supervisor, and Jehad Mohammad Murad from Italy earned first place in the International Communities category.

The challenge aims to promote reading among students across the Arab world and beyond, strengthen language skills such as comprehension and clear self-expression, and nurture young Arabs’ love for the language and its everyday use. It seeks to foster a lasting passion for knowledge and reading in new generations, equip them with the tools to create a better future, and build their character. The initiative also aims to shape youth’s value system by exposing them to the customs, beliefs and traditions of other cultures, promoting the principles of tolerance and coexistence.