Mohammed Al Gergawi: With the vision and support of Mohammed bin Rashid.. "Arabic reading challenge" He established a broad and strong influence over a period of 10 years

DUBAI, 23rd October / WAM / His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, confirmed that the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him,” and His Highness’s great support for the “Arab Reading Challenge” over a period of 10 years, has established the challenge’s status as an inspiring Arab knowledge platform, and a major and powerful influence in promoting the passion for reading and love of the Arabic language among generations. This is based on His Highness’s belief that the Arab reading generation is a conscious Arab generation capable of building a better future.
This came during a press conference held by His Excellency at the Dubai World Trade Center after the champions of the Arab Reading Challenge 2025 were crowned, during which he touched on the most prominent achievements achieved by the Arab Reading Challenge, its great impact on the Arab cultural and educational reality and enhancing the status of the Arabic language.
Also participating in the press conference were the Tunisian twin champions of the Arab Reading Challenge 2025, Bisan and Bilsan Kouka, and Sahar Misbah from Egypt, who was crowned the distinguished supervisor.
His Excellency said: In October 2015, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Arab Reading Challenge initiative, and the Arab world was one of the lowest regions in the world in reading rates, and the numbers we used to hear in this area were shocking…an average of 6 minutes annually. His Excellency indicated that the Arab Reading Challenge contributed to an increase in the average time allocated to reading outside of school from less than an hour per week before participating in it to more than 4 hours, which is equivalent to about 200 hours of reading annually.
His Excellency added: The record successes achieved by the Arab Reading Challenge at various levels during nine sessions confirm its strong presence throughout the Arab world and its prestigious position in the hearts of students, which is represented in their competition to read and achieve, and their endeavor to be crowned with the title, so that this will be a turning point in their academic journey and the fulfillment of their academic and professional ambitions.
During the press conference, His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi pointed out the appreciation that the challenge receives officially and socially, as well as from all Arab educational institutions and the United Nations, which was revealed by a study conducted in partnership between the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to measure the impact of the Arab Reading Challenge since its launch in 2015.
His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi noted that the results of the study reveal a profound impact of the Arab Reading Challenge ten years after its launch, in changing the reading habits of male and female students in Arab countries, and in the Arab cultural scene as a whole, by raising students’ reading rates and paying attention to self-education before and after their participation in the challenge qualifiers.
His Excellency pointed out that the average number of books read by each student annually increased from about 8 books before participating in the challenge to more than 40 books after participating.
The study focused on four main axes, related to measuring the impact of the Arab Reading Challenge on students’ reading habits before and after their participation in the challenge, the extent of its contribution to achieving the sustainable development goals of the United Nations, the social and cultural impact of the challenge and its role in enhancing societal contribution, in addition to providing recommendations to the ministries of education in Arab countries regarding education policies and the possibility of integrating the Arab Reading Challenge into national educational curricula.
The study revealed that more than 80% of the participating students began reading regularly every week, and a large percentage of them practiced accompanying activities such as summarizing stories and writing articles and thoughts. The study also revealed that 70% of them now had easier access to paper and electronic books.
The study showed that the number of students who read more than 50 books annually increased by 147% after participating in the challenge. The rate of daily or near-daily reading also increased by 122%. The time allocated for reading more than an hour per week increased by 157%. 48% of students began borrowing from libraries after participating in the challenge, 41% bought new books, and 30% joined reading clubs.
The results of the study showed a noticeable improvement in Arabic language skills in terms of reading comprehension, writing, vocabulary, and style, and showed that the challenge contributed to enhancing pride in the Arabic language and national identity, as 71% of the students said that they became more connected to their culture after the challenge.
The Arab Reading Challenge also contributed to the diversity of reading fields for students, as stories, science, history, and self-development publications were the most read among the participating students, which expresses the expansion of the students’ intellectual and cognitive interests.
The study touched on the impact of the Arab Reading Challenge on reading patterns, as the results showed a noticeable increase in the use of digital books and electronic platforms, in addition to the continuation of paper reading, indicating that teachers are the most supportive and encouraging of students participating in the challenge to read extensively, followed by family and then friends.
It is noteworthy that the ninth session of the Arab Reading Challenge witnessed the crowning of the twins Bisan and Bilsan Kouka from Tunisia with the title of Champion of the Arab Reading Challenge 2025, and the student Maria Hassan Ajeel from Iraq with the title of Challenge Champion in the category of People of Determination, and the schools of Atika Bint Zaid – First Cycle from the Emirates, and the Tripoli Al Haddadin School from Lebanon were honored after they were equally awarded the title of “Distinguished School,” and Sahar Misbah from Egypt. For obtaining the title of “Distinguished Supervisor”, in addition to the student Jihad Muhammad Hussein Fayed Murad from Italy for achieving first place in the Communities category.
The Arab Reading Challenge attracted more than 163 million students, both male and female, during nine sessions. It also recorded more than 920,000 participants in Arab schools, and the total number of supervisors participating in 9 courses reached more than 877,000 reading supervisors, male and female.
The challenge witnessed significant growth rates in the volume of participation, as it increased over 10 years from 3.6 million students, male and female, in its first session to more than 32 million students, male and female, in the ninth session, and the number of schools from 30,000 to 132,000 schools.
The Arab Reading Challenge also achieved a special achievement, represented by the League of Arab States inviting, on December 18, 2024, the ministries concerned with education in the Arab countries to adopt the Arab Reading Challenge as an educational curriculum and to support its dissemination and promotion, as a pioneering cognitive and cultural project that contributes to strengthening the Arabic language, as a vessel for the heritage and identity of the Arab nation.
The Arab Reading Challenge annually provides incentive rewards to first-place finishers in all its categories, totaling 11 million dirhams, bringing the total value of the prizes provided by the Arab Reading Challenge since its launch in 2015 to 99 million dirhams.
The student who wins the title of Challenge Champion receives a financial prize of 500,000 dirhams, while the school that wins the title of “Distinguished School” receives an amount of one million dirhams, and the supervisor who wins the title of “Distinguished Supervisor” receives an amount of 300,000 dirhams. The winner of the title of Arab Reading Challenge Champion in the People of Determination category receives a prize of 200,000 dirhams, while the reward for the first place holder in the Communities category is 100,000. Dirham.
The Arab Reading Challenge, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him” in 2015, as the largest reading competition and project in the world, aims to enhance the importance of reading among participating students at the level of the Arab world and the world, develop mechanisms for comprehension and self-expression in a sound Arabic language, endear Arab youth to the Arabic language, and encourage them to use it in their daily dealings.
The challenge seeks to instill a love of knowledge, reading and knowledge among new generations and provide them with the necessary knowledge to contribute to building a better future and refining their abilities and personalities.
The challenge also aims to build the value system of young people by informing them of the values, customs and beliefs of other cultures.

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