Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s Community Campaign to Support Sustainable Reading reaches 62,000+ beneficiaries in H1 2026

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced that more than 62,000 people benefited from its Community Campaign to Support Sustainable Reading during the first half of 2026, marking a significant milestone in the campaign’s second cycle.

Launched in support of the UAE’s Year of Family, the campaign continues to encourage reading as a lifelong habit while strengthening the presence of the Arabic language in society through community partnerships, educational initiatives and public engagement programmes.

His Excellency Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC, said: “The continued growth of the Community Campaign to Support Sustainable Reading demonstrates the important role reading plays in strengthening families, communities and our connection to the Arabic language. Reaching more than 62,000 beneficiaries during the first half of the year reflects the success of our expanding programmes and partnerships, while reinforcing our commitment to making reading a daily habit and knowledge a lifelong pursuit that empowers future generations and supports the UAE’s continued cultural development.”

The campaign’s community-focused initiatives continued to expand throughout the first half of the year, encouraging reading in everyday settings and making Arabic-language publications more accessible. The Khazanat Al Kutub initiative, which showcases ALC publications in key public facilities across the UAE, reached more than 54,000 beneficiaries.

Building on this momentum, the centre expanded its Reading in Public initiative, distributing more than 1,000 Arabic-language books to the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City. Through partnerships with public and private institutions, the initiative brings books into cafés, parks, hospitals, hotels and other public spaces, transforming everyday moments into opportunities for reading and learning.

The centre also continued its Treasures of Knowledge initiative, enriching the United Arab Emirates University library with 2,000 titles from the Kalima Project for Translation and the Esdarat publishing project. The initiative will expand to additional educational institutions and organisations across Abu Dhabi, strengthening access to high-quality Arabic publications while reinforcing Modern Standard Arabic as a living language of knowledge, culture and creativity.

Developing the next generation of readers remained a central focus of the campaign. The Kalima School Reading Club expanded during its second phase, with plans to reach 40 schools across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain through interactive reading sessions, educational activities and the distribution of hundreds of books. Drawing on the Balanced Arabic Readability Corpus (BAREC) project, the programme supports reading development while helping embed a culture of reading within both schools and families.

Al Dhafra Book Festival also played an important role in engaging young audiences, welcoming 58 school trips involving 1,980 students alongside 26 volunteers, reflecting the campaign’s growing community participation and its success in inspiring younger generations to read.

Accessibility and inclusion continued to underpin the campaign’s approach. Through the Arabic Through People of Determination Eyes initiative, delivered in partnership with organisations including the Zayed Authority for People of Determination and Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, participants took part in specialised workshops, including Braille reading sessions, designed to promote creativity, self-expression and greater participation in Abu Dhabi’s cultural life.

Launched in 2025, the Community Campaign to Support Sustainable Reading continues to expand through partnerships with public, private and educational institutions, strengthening reading as a daily habit while reinforcing the Arabic language as a living expression of culture, knowledge and identity.