Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid meets UAE qualifiers of the Arab Reading Challenge

700,000 students from across the Emirates took part in this year's challenge across the country

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, meets qualifiers from the UAE for this year's Arab Reading Challenge, on Friday. All photos: Wam

Hundreds of thousands of students from across the Emirates took part in this year's challenge.

Sheikh Mohammed said he was incredibly proud of the pupils who took part.

Education and knowledge are the secret to the advancement of nations, said Sheikh Mohammed.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on Friday met qualifiers from the UAE for this year's Arab Reading Challenge.

Among those received by Sheikh Mohammed, in a ceremony at Al Mudeef Majlis, Union House, were Ahmad Faisal Ali who won the title of UAE champion, and Sulaiman Khamis Al Khadim who came first in the People of Determination category, the Dubai Media Office reported.

“I am incredibly proud of the 700,000 students across the UAE who participated in the world’s largest reading challenge, and hopeful for a new generation of knowledgeable readers," Sheikh Mohammed said.

“Reading is the most important skill for the next generation. It is the key to life-long learning and an essential tool of continuous development.

"We continue to support reading initiatives because we believe in the first command given to us humans from God: ‘Read’.

"We believe that education and knowledge are the secret to the advancement of nations."

Sheikh Mohammed also extended his congratulations to parents and teachers, for playing a key role in encouraging the students to be part of the world’s largest Arabic reading movement.

The UAE winners will now go on to represent the Emirates in the global grand final of the eighth annual event later this year, which has attracted a record 28.2 million entrants from 50 countries.