Sharjah 24 – WAM: His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated winners of UAE qualifiers held for the 7th Arab Reading Challenge, who were crowned Friday during a major ceremony held at the Higher Colleges of Technology – Men’s College.
On his Twitter account, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said: “Today, the UAE celebrates 514,000 students from schools across the country, who have participated in the Arab Reading Challenge – which has seen a total participation of 24.8 million students from around the world.
We are very proud of this year’s participants, hopeful for a new generation that loves reading, and reassured that our future will be in the hands of a generation passionate about learning and knowledge.
“My heartfelt congratulations to Amna Mohammad Al Mansoori and her parents, for winning the 1st place in the UAE challenge after reading 128 books during the academic year. Two years ago, Amna lost the ability to walk, but that did not stop her. She soldiered ahead and soiled across the vast ocean of knowledge and literature. The challenge was the beginning of a life-changing experience.
Today, Amna can walk once again, she has won the Reading Challenge and has authored two stories. In a few days, she will represent the UAE in the International Physics Olympiad in Tokyo. Amna’s challenge was to rebuild herself and regain control of her life. This is what we want for all UAE youth,” he added.
“We also extend our congratulations for Gharib Al Yamahi, who won the country Challenge title for the People of Determination category. Gharib is blind, but is familiar with great achievements. He has read 130 braille books, writes articles and is both an articulate speaker and outstanding student. When a blind person reads 130 books, those with healthy eyesight must look again at what they read.
We wish Gharib great success. His determination and willpower are living proof that in the UAE, nothing is impossible,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed concluded.
Grade 11 student Amna Mohammad Al Mansoori won the Arab Reading Challenge Champion in the UAE, as country-level qualifiers for the 7th Arab Reading Challenge concluded in the UAE with the participation of 514,506 students from 921 schools, overseen by 1,578 supervisors.
Organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and launched in its first edition in the academic year 2015/2016 as the largest Arab initiative of its kind, the Arab Reading Challenge reflects the vision of His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his belief that “reading is the first step towards a better future driven by knowledge and learning.” The Challenge aims to highlight the importance of reading, develop comprehension and self-expression using correct Arabic language, and nurture creative thinking skills to help enrich Arabic content and cement the Arabic language’s standing as a language of thought, science, research and creativity that can play a role in cultural dialogue and openness.
Amna Mohammad Al Mansoori, from Aisha bint Abi Baker School in Abu Dhabi, was crowned during a major ceremony held at the Higher Colleges of Technology – Men’s College in the presence of Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Schools, as well as Dr. Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives alongside other officials and educators overseeing the Arab Reading Challenge.
The ceremony also included announcements of the Outstanding Supervisor Award, which was awarded to Noora Al Shehhi from Sharjah Educational Zone, and the Best School Award, awarded to Emirates National Schools of Al Ain Education Zone.
The 7th Arab Reading Challenge saw record participation and an increase of 11 percent compared to the last edition, with over 24.8 million students from 46 countries, representing 188 schools and overseen by about 150,000 supervisors.
Additionally, this year’s Challenge saw the addition of the ‘People of Determination’ category, a major improvement to the initiative that reflects the importance of their participation and of giving them the chance to prove their capabilities and enhance their skills. Over 22,500 students of determination, who have read 25 books according to the conditions of participation, have moved up to the final rounds.
The Challenge comprises several rounds of qualification for students who have successfully read and summarized the contents of 50 books. Qualifications start at the class level and end at the country level before the winners move to the final round. The selection of winners is based on strict and unified criteria that include an assessment of all relevant aspects.
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