ADM NEWS | The Arab Reading Challenge has set an unprecedented achievement, as 40,286,428 students from 60 countries joined its tenth edition, including 76,062 students of determination. The figures show a 24% increase compared to the ninth edition, where 32.231 million students from 50 countries worldwide participated. 138,426 schools and 161,507 supervisors are taking part in the 10th edition.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has reviewed the Challenge’s 10th edition numbers and stated: “Our Arab Reading Challenge project moves ahead, attracting over 40 million students from 138,000 schools and 60 countries to its tenth edition.”
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed added: “Our cultural projects continue, driven by our belief in the importance of fostering educated and aware individuals, empowered with future-ready tools. As in every endeavor, the superficial is swept away, but what truly serves the people endures. This project is set to serve millions of students. It will serve communities and lands. We will continue to champion it, firm in the belief in its profound cultural significance.”
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), stated that the Arab Reading Challenge embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for an Arab future that is anchored in knowledge and aligned with human progress. This is achieved by instilling reading as a habit, promoting the Arabic language while embracing scientific and cultural innovation, and taking advantage of the rapidly evolving means of education.
Al Gergawi said: “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 and persevere to preserve the Arabic language. These efforts align with MBRGI’s commitment to launch projects and initiatives that enlighten generations and champion the value of reading and knowledge.”
He added: “Over 203 million students have joined the Arab Reading challenge over 10 editions. This is a significant achievement for both the initiative and the educational institutions across the Arab world who believed in the Challenge’s mission, and whose cooperation with MBRGI led to this sustained success.”
The 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge has set a historic record with the participation of over 40 million students, representing nearly 48% of all general education students across the Arab world. This milestone signifies a shift toward reading becoming a sustained daily habit.
A UNESCO study on the Arab Reading Challenge’s impact on student’s reading habits found that 93% of participants improved their Arabic language skills and 96% reported a boost in self-confidence. The study also noted a rise in the number of students reading over 50 books annually, jumping from 4% to 10%. Furthermore, average reading time reached between 50 and 100 hours per year, with most students now reading two to six times a week, as well as a notable increase in daily reading.
Country-level qualifying rounds for the tenth Arab Reading Challenge are already underway. The champions emerging from this stage will advance to the finals in Dubai, which will culminate in the crowning of the winners across all 2026 categories.
The multiple qualifying rounds of each edition aim to select students who best read, summarize and comprehend the contents of 50 books. Selection moves up from class-level to schools, education zones, up to country-level, with rigorous criteria applied to select outstanding participants at every stage.
Specialised committees work closely with the Arab Reading Challenge committees to select winners at the education zone and governate levels, until the top 10 reading champions and the country-level champion are selected. They then move to the final qualifying stage in Dubai to win the Arab Reading Challenge title.
The winner of the Arab Reading Champion title receives an award of AED 500,000, while 2nd and 3rd place winners receive AED 100,000 and AED 70,000, respectively.
The Arab Reading Challenge Champion in the People of Determination category receives AED 200,000, followed by AED 100,000 for the 2nd place winner and AED 50,000 for third place.
The People of Determination category was introduced in the Challenge’s 7th edition, where participants need to read and summarize a total of 25 books.
The Arab Community Champion receives a AED 100,000 award, while 2nd and 3rd place winners receive AED 70,000 and AED 30,000, respectively. This category is open to Arabs living abroad and non-Arabs learning the Arabic language.
A AED 1 million is presented to the Best School. Schools ranking 2nd and 3rd in the Challenge receive AED 500,000 and AED 300,000 respectively.
The Outstanding Supervisor category offers a AED 300,000 award to 1st place winner, AED 100,000 to 2nd place and AED 50,000 to 3rd place.
Over ten editions, more than 203 million students, over 1.065 million schools and over 1.038 million supervisors took part in the Arab Reading Challenge. The initiative has transformed since its inception, with the number of students growing by around 1019% from 3.6 million in the first edition to over 40 million students in the latest, 10th edition.
Last year’s ninth edition saw the participation of 32.231 million students from 50 countries, representing 132,112 schools and guided by 161,004 supervisors.
Twins Bisan and Baylasan Kouka from Tunisia were crowned as the 2025 Arab Reading Champions, while Maria Hassan Ojail from Iraq won the 2025 People of Determination Champion title.
The ‘Best School’ title was awarded to Atika bint Zaid School – 1st Cycle from the UAE and Tarablus Al Haddadin School from Lebanon.
The ‘Outstanding Supervisor’ title went to Sahar Misbah from Egypt, while the ‘Community Champion’ title was awarded to Jehad Mohammed Murad from Italy.
The Arab Reading Challenge was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2015 as the largest-ever Arab literacy initiative. It aims to promote reading among students across the Arab world and beyond, strengthen language skills such as comprehension and clear self-expression, and nurture young Arabs’ love for the language and its everyday use.
It seeks to instill a lasting passion for knowledge and reading in new generations, equip them with the tools to create a better future and build their character. The challenge also aims to shape youth’s value system by exposing them to the customs, beliefs, and traditions of other cultures, promoting the principles of tolerance and coexistence.
