Palestinian student dedicates Arab Reading Challenge win to ‘children of Gaza’

Teenager and winners from Syria and Saudi Arabia each took home Dh500,000 in prize money at Dubai ceremony

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with winners of the Arab Reading Challenge, at Dubai Opera. From left, Mohammed Ahmed Hassan from Egypt, Kadi bint Musaffar from Saudi Arabia, Hatem Al Tarkawi from Syria and Salsabil Sawalha from Palestine. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

Salsabil, 17, from Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, dedicated her win to 'the children of Gaza'

Rabbie Ahmed receives an award from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Saif bin Zayed

Tunisian singer Latifa performs at the Arab Reading Challenge winners' ceremony

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, presents Mohammed Ahmed Hassan from Egypt with the award for Reading Champion in the People of Determination

A young participant recites a verse from the holy Quran at the Arab Reading Challenge ceremony

Young competitor Abdullah Al Qahtani from Saudi Arabia

Sheikh Hamdan congratulates Mohammed Ahmed Hassan from Egypt

Omar Al Sharif at the Arab Reading Challenge

Visitors arrive for the event at Dubai Opera

Joint winner Hatem Al Turkawi, aged 9, from Syria

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with winners of the Arab Reading Challenge

Sulaiman Al Shammari at Arab Reading Challenge, with joint winner 11-year-old Kadi bint Musfir

A Palestinian student crowned one of three winners of the Arab Reading Challenge in Dubai on Wednesday has delivered a message of hope amid the heartbreak of war.

Salsabil Sawalha, 17, from Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, has overcome adversity as the Israel-Gaza war rages on to take home a cash prize of Dh500,000 ($136,000) for her love of reading.

Salsabil dedicated her win to the “people of Palestine” and said her success showed that even in times of great struggle, dreams can still come true.

“I give this win to the children of Gaza, the West Bank, and every Palestinian around the world,” she said.

“We love education and science, and we always defy hardships. This win is proof that we can achieve what we set our minds to."

She told The National that “the road to success is not easy – it’s filled with bumps, and even death. But with God’s help, it can end in success beyond your wildest dreams.”

Referring to the war, Salsabil said that it’s “heartbreaking not to know when death will come for you, to turn you from a person full of dreams and ambitions into just another number added to the death toll”.

She added that it was a huge challenge but she “continued reading and eventually made it to the UAE, despite all the hardships”.

Salsabil’s family relocated from the Netherlands to Hebron to ensure that she and her siblings remained connected to their roots. She has yet to decide what she would do with the prize money, but said it would be to support reading.

Joy for triumphant trio

Fellow winners Hatem Al Tarkawi, nine, from Syria, and Kadi bint Musaffar, 11, from Saudi Arabia, joined Salsabil on stage at Dubai Opera as Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, honoured them for their efforts.

Collectively, they read a total of 1,002 books – with Salsabil reading 500, Hatem 400, and Kadi completing 102 books.

Honouring the winners, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Our joy at the millions of Arab youth flocking to reading makes us optimistic, despite all the circumstances.

“Our investment in reading is an investment in the Arab mind, in Arab awareness and in the future of Arab youth.”

The eighth Arab Reading Challenge involved 28 million students from 50 countries. Launched in 2015 by Sheikh Mohammed, the competition encourages young people to read at least 50 books a year.

Speaking to the participants, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Your continued passion for knowledge is a continuation of your passion for life and the future. What you will experience will be better and greater, God willing.”

During the ceremony, an Arab reading digital platform was launched to offer access to thousands of Arabic books and promote reading culture among Arab youth.

Making it count

Hatem said his passion for history and science fuelled his reading journey. “I love reading about history and science, especially about Muslim Arab scientists,” he told The National.

He lives with his two older sisters and a brother in Salamieh, western Syria, while his parents work in a nearby village. “My oldest sister is in her fourth year of architectural engineering, my other sister is studying Arabic, and my brother is pursuing agricultural engineering,” Hatem said.

With his prize money, Hatem wants to buy one sister a new laptop, a car for his mother, a mobile phone for his other sister and a pick-up truck for his brother.

Kadi has always been an avid reader. “I’ve always loved reading, for as long as I can remember,” she said, adding that she preferred it over watching cartoons.

She’s still contemplating how to use her prize money but has a strong desire to inspire other children to read. “I’m thinking of starting my competition on social media to encourage more children to read,” Kadi said.

“Maybe I’ll pick a book and ask children to read it, then post questions about it for them to answer.”

More winners

In addition to the three champions, several other awards were given away on Monday.

Omar Abdul Latif from Egypt came in second in the reading challenge and took home Dh100,000, while Sulaiman Al Shumaimari from Kuwait claimed third place for Dh70,000.

Rabee Ahmed, from Syria, won Dh300,000 and the title of Outstanding Supervisor for his efforts in guiding and motivating pupils, while Dubai’s Al Ibdaa School won the Dh1 million Best School award.

In the Arab pupils living abroad category, Mohammed Al Fateh from Sweden was named the champion, while Mohammed Ahmed Hassan from Egypt won Dh200,000 and the title of Reading Champion in the People of Determination category.