The 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge, one of the largest reading initiatives in the Arab world, has wrapped up with a record 40,286,428 students from 60 countries taking part. The awards ceremony honouring this year's winners is set for October 29, 2026, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
Organisers said 138,426 schools and 161,507 supervisors were involved in this year's edition, while 74,062 students with disabilities took part through a dedicated category for People of Determination. The total participation represents 48 per cent of all school students across the Arab world and marks a 24 per cent jump over last year's edition.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said in a message marking the milestone: "The future of a nation begins with nurturing its young minds. Our investment in the Reading Challenge is an investment in a better future for all."
This year's overall champion will receive a prize of Dh500,000, while the top-performing school will be awarded Dh1 million. Total prize money distributed since the challenge launched has now reached Dh110 million.
Since its first edition in 2015, when just 3.6 million students took part, the challenge has grown more than tenfold, cementing its place as one of the region's largest educational initiatives and a flagship project of Dubai's broader push to promote reading among young Arabs.