Abu Dhabi student crowned UAE champion of Arab Reading Challenge 2026
Dana Al Zarouni beat 830,000 participants to take the top spot
DUBAI – A 12-year-old student from Abu Dhabi has been crowned the UAE champion of the 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge after emerging as the country's top reader among more than 830,000 participants.
Dana Adel Al Zarouni, a student at Al Ittihad National Private School, claimed the prestigious title during a ceremony held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City Dubai on Thursday. Her victory secures her place as the UAE's representative in the final stage of the world's largest Arabic-language reading competition.
The awards ceremony celebrated the country's most outstanding readers following the highest national participation ever recorded in the initiative. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, honoured the winners in the presence of Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of Education, alongside senior government officials, educators, representatives of the Arab Reading Challenge and the finalists' families.
Top honours
Dana outperformed hundreds of thousands of students from schools across the UAE to secure the national crown. Hamad Mohammed Ibrahim Al Hashemi from Al Mahmoud School in Sharjah finished second, while Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan from Khalifa bin Zayed Al Awwal School in Abu Dhabi claimed third place.
فخور بأكثر من 830 ألف طالب في الإمارات شاركوا في تحدي القراءة العربي هذا العام …
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) July 9, 2026
فخور بمهاراتهم في القراءة .. وشغفهم بالمعرفة .. وتعلقهم بالكتب …
بكم تُبنى الحضارة .. القراءة هي البنية التحتية للتطور والتقدم والإبداع …
وأبارك للطالبة دانة عادل الزرعوني فوزها بالمركز الأول… pic.twitter.com/gr62eqAneu
The ceremony also recognised excellence in several other categories. Yousef Mohammed Hamid, a visually challenged student from Al Qudwa School in Sharjah, received first place in the People of Determination category. Naima Al Amiri was honoured with the Outstanding Supervisor award, while Wahida Abdulaziz was recognised as the National Coordinator of the Arab Reading Challenge. Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi School (Boys Cycle 3) in Fujairah was named the UAE's Best School.
Passion for reading
Dana described the national title as the result of years of determination and dedication to reading. A participant in the competition for three consecutive years, she completed the challenge requirement of reading 50 books and said she had gone far beyond that target by reading more than 200 books over the past year.
She said the Arabic language represents identity and culture, adding that she hoped her achievement would encourage more young people to embrace reading. According to Dana, books help children build confidence, expand their understanding of the world and inspire them to pursue ambitious goals.
She also revealed that she hopes to become an author in the future, saying that reading has strengthened not only her skills as a reader but also her passion for writing. Coming from a family of eight children, Dana credited her family's encouragement and support throughout her reading journey.
Arab Reading Challenge
The 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge achieved unprecedented participation worldwide, attracting 40,286,428 students from 60 countries. Participants represented 138,426 schools and were supported by 161,507 supervisors, making this year's edition the largest in the initiative's history.
Launched during the 2015-2016 academic year under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Arab Reading Challenge is one of the flagship initiatives of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI).
The programme encourages students to read at least 50 books during the academic year while promoting a lasting culture of reading across the Arab world and beyond. It also aims to strengthen creative thinking, reinforce the position of the Arabic language as a language of science, literature and knowledge, and encourage younger generations to use Arabic in their daily lives. Beyond reading, the initiative promotes tolerance, coexistence and openness to other cultures while helping young people develop the knowledge and skills needed for the future.