Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has crowned Maryam Amjoun, a student from Morocco, as Champion of the third Arab Reading Challenge.
The nine-year-old Moroccan girl won $136,000.
The Al-Ikhlas school in Kuwait won a $270,000 prize for the best reading initiatives for students.
Aisha al-Tuwairqi from Saudi Arabia won the title of Outstanding Reading Supervisor and took home $82,000.
The packed award ceremony at Dubai Opera also saw Tasneem Eidi, from France, being recognized for her reading efforts in non-Arab countries. She won $27,000.
The 2018 edition of the largest Arab literacy initiative in the world drew the participation of 10.5 million students from the Arab region and worldwide.
Congratulating this year’s contenders and winners, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said: "A river starts with many drops, and the participants of the Arab Reading Challenge are the first drops in the river of knowledge that we look forward to discovering in every corner of the Arab world and beyond.”
“We rely on the reading champions to help us build a knowledge-based future for the region."
He added, "The finalists of the competition have become role models for millions of Arab students in their keen interest in acquiring knowledge and their determination to succeed. Every book read by the contestants serves as a gateway to communicate with the people of the world."
Stressing the importance of reading, Sheikh Mohammed said that “books are the source of ideas and values for the next generations. A generation that reads is a promising one, and a nation that reads is one that invests in the future.”
“Reading creates global citizens who care deeply about making the world a better place," he added.
The jury at this year’s Arab Reading Challenge finals comprised Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Director General of Abu Dhabi Media, Saudi poet Ali al-Huwarini and Saudi talk show host Muna Abu Sulayman. The jury posed various questions to the contestants to test their knowledge, communication skills, and ability to articulate and organize thoughts.
