Reports

Egyptian 11-Year-Old Becomes Arab Reading Champion

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30 seconds ago

October 29, 2026

Shorya

11-year-old Egyptian student Mayar Mohamed Ragab Othman, dubbed Arab Reading Champion has been declared at the 10th Arab reading challenge in Dubai. The ceremony is scheduled to be held on 29th October 2026, at Dubai World Trade Centre in celebration of Youth literacy and reading achievement.

Mohammed Bin Rashid crowns Egyptian student Mayar Othman as champion of Arab Reading Challenge 2026 https://t.co/SRjBXQnufq
— Gulf Today (@gulftoday) October 29, 2026

Arab Reading Champion Crowned in Dubai

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, bestowed the prestigious title on Mayar. After reading and analysing >60 books, she emerged from >40 million students in 60 countries in the competition.

Arab Reading Champion Receives AED 500000

For taking the first place in the competition, the young Egyptian won AED 500,000. Mayar quoted in her acceptance speech that she would use some of the amounts of the prize to establish a library at her school in Egypt, thus emphasizing her wish to promote reading among students.

Arab Reading Champion Leads Regional Winners

Palestinian student Ghazal Teem (16) got second place and Saudi Arabia’s 11-year-old Rian Al Zakri was third. The awards underscored the level of engagement with young readers from around the Arab region, as well as the increasing international reach of the competition.

Arab Reading Champion Competition Honours Excellence

The Seedy Amer Primary School in Tunisia emerged the winner of the Best School Award and AED 1 million for its efforts to foster reading among students. The winners of specialised category awards were Jordan’s Fakhri Mayas who received AED 300,000 as Outstanding Supervisor, and Mahmoud Omran of Syria who took home an award in New Zealand.