Abu Dhabi student crowned UAE champion of Arab Reading Challenge

Grade 6 student Danah Adel Al Zarouni has been crowned the UAE Champion of the 10th Arab Reading Challenge and will go on to represent the country in the overall finals.

Danah, a student at Al Ittihad National Private School in Abu Dhabi, claimed the national title after emerging on top from more than 830,000 students representing 1,250 schools across the UAE.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, congratulated Danah on her achievement and praised the strong participation in this year's competition, saying he was proud of the students' passion for reading and knowledge.

The UAE winner will now compete against finalists from 60 countries in the Arab Reading Challenge, which attracted around 40 million students this academic year.

The awards ceremony, held at Expo City Dubai, also recognised winners in the People of Determination category, the Outstanding Supervisor, and the UAE's Best School.

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, who attended the ceremony, underscored the success of educational efforts in embedding a culture of reading among students.

"We extend our congratulations to all winners and participants who, through their competitive spirit and passion for reading, embodied an inspiring example of the ambition of the UAE's youth. We also extend our thanks and appreciation to the families, teachers, supervisors and educational institutions who played an essential role in this achievement," said Sheikha Latifa.

Yousef Mohammed Saeed Hamed, a grade 8 student at Al Qudwah School (Cycle 2 for Boys) in Sharjah's Eastern Region, clinched first place in the People of Determination category, while Nada Saud Abdulaziz came in second place, and Omar Ali Rashid Al Ketbi was third out of a total of 395 students who participated in this category.

Naima Al Amiri from Dubai was named 'Outstanding Supervisor', while Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi School (Cycle 3) in Fujairah was named the 'Best School'.

فخور بأكثر من 830 ألف طالب في الإمارات شاركوا في تحدي القراءة العربي هذا العام …
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

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) July 9, 2026

Latifa bint Mohammed crowns UAE winners of 10th Arab Reading Challenge. pic.twitter.com/8cHoDwJz7l

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 9, 2026