DUBAI,
(WAM) — The final qualifying round for the 8th Arab Reading Challenge’s “Community Champion” title began today in Dubai, with students competing at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library to determine the top three finalists who will advance to the concluding ceremony at Dubai Opera on 23rd October, where the winner will be announced.
Announced in the Challenge’s second edition and implemented in its third, the “Community Champion” category allows students from Arab communities abroad, as well as non-Arabs learning Arabic, to participate.
This addition marked a significant turning point for the world’s largest Arabic reading initiative.
The finals consist of an oral examination in which students will summarize the key themes of the 25 books they have read, demonstrating their command of Standard Arabic.
The judging panel will evaluate each student’s comprehension and ability to articulate ideas in their own words. To succeed, students must confidently discuss, critique, and analyze the texts, demonstrating their ability to meaningfully connect the various concepts.
The winner of the ‘Community Champion’ title will receive an award of AED 100,000 while the 2nd and 3rd place winners receive AED 70,000 and AED30,000 respectively.
The 8th Arab Reading Challenge has attracted unprecedented participation, with over 28.2 million students from 50 countries representing 229,620 schools, and guided by 154,643 supervisors.
Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), stated that over its eight editions, the Arab Reading Challenge has become a truly inspiring initiative with a tangible impact on Arab culture. It reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to empower the next generation through knowledge acquisition and mastery of the Arabic language. The Challenge provides a nurturing environment for creativity, enabling students to shape a brighter future.
The finalists in the ‘Community Champion’ category are: Yahya Khalid Al-Otaibi (Italy), Iyad Abdul Rahman Tabi (France), Suhaib Abdul Razzaq (Canada), Jana Al-Saeed Eid Al-Shal (Greece), Lana Esa’eed (Germany), Sara Musa (Denmark), Mohammed Abdul Fattah Al-Refaie (Sweden), Aya Walid Saad Al-Din (Norway), Jawhara Saleh Al-Hassan (Finland), Jihad Al-Jaffal (Belgium), Mohammed Hanan Pedaikail (India), Mazen Yousef Al-Hussein (China), Radwa Abdullah (Australia), Razan Hawa (New Zealand), Zaid Aziz Ghanem (United Kingdom), Ahmed Abdul Raqib Ahmed (Malaysia), Dorinda Al-Sayed Zaiter (Russia), Israa Musalli (Turkey), Lynn Al-Majzoub (Austria), Ibrahim Afifi (Switzerland), Khadija Khalil Abdul Karim (Brazil), Kamee Basim Al-Jabai (Netherlands), and Mohammed Kalash (Ireland).
Launched in the academic year 2015-2016 under directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Arab Reading Challenge aims to prepare a future generation who loves reading and knowledge, capable of expressing their identity in Arabic and are keen on learning and using this rich language in their day-to-day interactions.
The Arab Reading Challenge also helps build a value system that encourages youth to learn about other cultures, which instills the principles of tolerance and coexistence, and opens the door for a global open dialogue.
