Tunisian twins crowned 2025 Arab Reading Champions as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid hails 32 million students joining the world’s largest literacy drive, uniting Arabs through books and knowledge….reports Asian Lite News
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, underscored that reading is the foundation of human progress and community development as he crowned Tunisian twins Bisan and Baylasan Kouka the winners of the 2025 Arab Reading Challenge.
At the grand ceremony held at Dubai World Trade Centre, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Those who fall a step behind in acquiring knowledge today will soon find themselves miles behind in the race to lead in progress and global influence.”
The twins were chosen from among 32 million students representing more than 132,000 schools across 50 countries, marking the ninth edition of the world’s largest Arabic literacy initiative. They received AED500,000 after outshining other national champions in Dubai. Second and third places went to Mohammed Jassim Ibrahim of Bahrain and Mariam Mohammed Shamekh of Mauritania, who won AED100,000 and AED70,000 respectively.
Sheikh Mohammed also honoured Egypt’s Sahar Misbah with the ‘Outstanding Supervisor’ title and a prize of AED300,000. He joined coordinators from all participating nations for a commemorative photograph, acknowledging their role in the Challenge’s success.
“The Arab Reading Challenge has inspired a generation that draws from our glorious history and speaks to the future with confidence,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “Armed with sharp minds and an irreplaceable companion—the book—Arab students are achieving their goals and ambitions.”
Sheikh Mohammed congratulated all participants, teachers, and families for nurturing a generation that values knowledge. “Together, we are shaping the Arab future we aspire to,” he added.
The ceremony, attended by senior UAE royals and dignitaries including Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, and Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also celebrated winners in special categories such as Best School, Community Champion, and People of Determination Champion.
Sheikha Latifa honoured Iraqi student Maria Hassan Ojail as the 2025 People of Determination Champion, who received AED200,000. Jehad Mohammed Murad from Italy was named Community Champion, reflecting the Challenge’s global outreach to Arab students abroad.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), said the Challenge embodies Sheikh Mohammed’s vision to place knowledge and tolerance at the core of civilisation and progress. “This initiative turns His Highness’s words into practice—‘Tolerance, openness, awareness, balance in thought and action all begin with the book,’” he noted.
The Arab Reading Challenge, launched in 2015, has evolved into a movement promoting Arabic literacy, critical thinking, and cultural pride. Participation has soared from 3.6 million in its inaugural edition to over 32 million this year, totalling more than 163 million since inception.
The initiative has also fostered educational partnerships, including a AED4 million agreement between MBRGI and the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Charity Foundation to launch a digital library. The Challenge’s presence at global events, such as the Rabat International Book Fair earlier this year, further reinforced its mission to build a knowledge-driven Arab generation.
In December 2024, the League of Arab States urged regional education ministries to integrate the Challenge into school curricula, calling it a “leading cultural project that strengthens Arabic as the vessel of heritage and identity.”
As Sheikh Mohammed said, “The book remains our greatest teacher, our bridge to civilisation, and our most enduring legacy.”
