Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum with the winners of the Arab Reading Challenge in October 2025. ARCHIVE

More than 40 million students from around the world have joined the latest edition of the Arab Reading Challenge, marking a record milestone for the region’s largest literacy initiative. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said a total of 40,286,428 students from 60 countries are participating in the 10th edition of the challenge, reflecting a 24 percent increase from last year. “Our Arab Reading Challenge project moves ahead, attracting over 40 million students from 138,000 schools and 60 countries to its tenth edition,” Sheikh Mohammed said. The initiative, launched in 2015, aims to build a strong reading culture among young people, promote the Arabic language, and equip students with knowledge and critical thinking skills. “Our cultural projects continue, driven by our belief in the importance of fostering educated and aware individuals, empowered with future-ready tools,” Sheikh Mohammed said, adding that the project is designed to serve communities and future generations. The competition now includes 138,426 schools and more than 161,000 supervisors, with 76,062 students of determination also taking part. Mohammad Al Gergawi of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives said the challenge reflects a long-term vision of building knowledge-based societies. “Over 40 million students are taking part in the tenth Arab Reading Challenge. This record participation is testament to the initiative’s power to inspire young Arab generations to read,” Al Gergawi said. According to a UNESCO study, the programme has already made a strong impact, with 93 percent of participants improving their Arabic language skills and 96 percent reporting higher self-confidence. Students are required to read and summarise 50 books throughout the competition, progressing through several qualifying rounds from school level up to the finals in Dubai. The top winner will receive Dh500,000, while other categories include awards for schools, supervisors, and community participants, with prizes reaching up to Dh1 million. Over the past decade, more than 203 million students have taken part in the Arab Reading Challenge, highlighting its growing role in shaping reading habits across the Arab world. ICA/Expat Media
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