Danah Al Zarouni Wins UAE Title at Arab Reading Challenge 2026

Grade 6 student Danah Adel Al Zarouni from Al Ittihad National Private School (Khalifa A, Abu Dhabi) has been named the UAE Reading Champion in the 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge.

She received the title during a ceremony held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City, organised by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI). The event was attended by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

Sheikh Mohammed Praises Record UAE Participation

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, praised the participation of more than 830,000 students from across the UAE in this year's competition.

He congratulated Danah Adel Al Zarouni on winning first place in the UAE and said he was proud of the students' passion for reading, knowledge, and books. He described reading as the foundation of development, innovation, and progress.

Sheikh Mohammed also noted that Danah will now represent the UAE in the international finals alongside participants from 60 countries, following a competition that involved more than 40 million students during the current academic year.

Sheikha Latifa Highlights Importance of Reading

During the ceremony, Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed honoured Danah Adel Al Zarouni, the runner-up in the national competition, and the winners in the People of Determination category.

She said the UAE continues to strengthen a culture of reading under the guidance of its leadership, making it a key pillar of human development and knowledge. She described the Arab Reading Challenge as the largest knowledge competition in the Arab world and said it has helped develop students' skills, awareness, and connection to their language, identity, and culture.

She also praised the efforts of schools, teachers, supervisors, and families for encouraging students to participate and congratulated all winners and participants for their commitment to reading.

More Than 830,000 Students Competed Across the UAE

Danah Adel Al Zarouni secured the national title after competing against more than 830,000 students from 1,250 schools, supported by 2,120 supervisors across the UAE.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials, including Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education; Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture; Maryam Al Hammadi, Minister of State and Secretary General of the UAE Cabinet; Mohamed Taj Eddine Alqadi, Chairman of the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi; Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director-General of Dubai's Community Development Authority; and Aisha Abdulla Miran, Director General of Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority.

People of Determination Winners Honoured

In the People of Determination category, Yousef Mohammed Saeed Hamed, a Grade 8 student from Al Qudwah School (Cycle 2 for Boys) in Sharjah's Eastern Region, won first place.

Nada Saud Abdulaziz finished second, while Omar Ali Rashid Al Ketbi secured third place among 395 participants in the category.

The ceremony also recognised Naima Al Amiri as the Outstanding Supervisor, while Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi School (Cycle 3) in Fujairah received the Best School award.

Ten Students Reached the National Finals

Ten students qualified for the UAE national finals, including champion Danah Adel Al Zarouni.

The finalists were Hamad Mohammed Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Sarah Waleed Al Mansoori, Issa Abdullah Al Mazemi, Aisha Abdullah Saif Mohammed Al Humaidi, Salem Abdullah Salem Al Hammadi, Mohammed Manaa Mohammed Ahmed Al Najjar, Asya Awadh Al Siyabi, and Humaid Saeed Saleh Al Zaabi.

Arab Reading Challenge Records Global Growth

The 10th Arab Reading Challenge recorded its highest-ever participation, attracting 40,286,428 students from 60 countries, including 74,062 People of Determination participants.

The competition also involved 138,426 schools and 161,507 supervisors, representing a 24% increase compared with the 9th edition, which attracted 32.231 million students from 50 countries.

Education Minister Highlights Lasting Impact

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, said the Arab Reading Challenge has become a major educational initiative since its launch in 2015, helping establish reading as a lasting culture across communities.

She said the record participation by UAE students reflects the country's commitment to making reading an essential part of education while strengthening critical thinking, national identity, and the Arabic language. She also congratulated all winners, participants, teachers, supervisors, and parents for their contributions.

Danah to Represent UAE in Dubai Finals

Following her national victory, Danah Adel Al Zarouni will represent the UAE in the final stage of the 2026 Arab Reading Challenge in Dubai.

The competition requires participants to read and summarise 50 books, progressing through multiple qualifying stages before national champions from participating countries compete in the grand final.