Reem, then Dana.. The title of “Arab Reading Challenge” does not leave Al-Zarouni’s house

For the second year in a row, Al Zarouni House maintained the title of champion of the “Arab Reading Challenge” at the UAE level, after the student Dana Adel Al Zarouni, from Al Ittihad National Private School in Abu Dhabi, snatched the title of champion of the tenth session for the year 2026, following in the footsteps of her sister Reem, who won the title in the previous session, in an exceptional family achievement that embodies an established culture that has made reading a way of life, and transformed the home into an incubator for talent and the industry of cognitive excellence.

He was not born by chance
The champion of the “Arab Reading Challenge” in the UAE, Season 10, 2026, Dana Adel Al Zarouni, revealed that her older sister (Reem) had the greatest influence at the beginning of her journey with reading, confirming in statements to “Emirates Today” that her love for books was not born by chance, but rather began with the guidance and continuous support of her sister, who was in charge of choosing books and titles appropriate to her age and interests, until she had the ability to choose books herself.

Dana said: “First, God’s grace, then Reem’s grace, was behind my entry into the world of books, novels, and reading, as she carefully chose books for me, including the novel “God Knows,” which opened the door to novels for me, and the novel “Azar: Son of the Wolf of the Valley” by Ahmed Al Hamdan, in addition to many books that contributed to enriching my knowledge and expanding my awareness, until I was able to choose what to read with confidence and independence.” She added: “Then I set off on my own journey, and I took the baton from my sister, so I could continue the journey in my own way, benefiting from everything I learned from her.”

A source of pride for the family
For her part, Reem Al Zarouni, champion of the “Arab Reading Challenge” in its ninth season in the UAE, and fourth place in the Arab world, confirmed that her sister’s coronation represents a source of pride for the entire family, but at the same time it carries a great responsibility for her. She sent a message to her in which she said: “The UAE deserves to be represented well, and your victory is not the end of the road, but rather the beginning of a greater responsibility, because whoever bears the name of the UAE must be its best ambassador in all forums.”

Intellectual integration
Reem explained that the two sisters’ relationship is not based on competition, but rather on intellectual complementarity, saying: “We complement each other; Dana presents ideas, and I discuss and analyze them with her. We often engage in deep intellectual and cultural debates, which contribute to refining our personalities and enhancing our ability to dialogue, criticize, and analyze, which was reflected in our performance in the Arab Reading Challenge.”

Continuous support
The two sisters stressed that their achievement would not have been possible without the continuous support of the family, which instilled in them a love of reading from a young age and provided them with an environment that stimulated reading, dialogue, and exchange of ideas.

They explained that their parents were keen to encourage them to buy books, allocate daily time to reading, and discuss what they read, which contributed to developing their culture, enhancing their self-confidence, and making reading an integral part of their lifestyle, and not just a way to compete or win prizes.

Pride in the Arabic language
The sisters Reem and Dana Al Zarouni confirmed that the “Arab Reading Challenge” goes beyond being a competition to compete for titles, as it represents a cultural and cognitive project that creates a reading generation, develops the skills of thinking, analysis and dialogue, and enhances pride in the Arabic language. They explained that the challenge changed their relationship with reading, transformed it from a hobby into a way of life, and opened wider horizons of knowledge and culture before them, stressing that every student who goes through this experience achieves a real gain, because the most important value is not in the title, but in the learning journey and the lasting impact it leaves on the reader’s personality.