Damascus, May 11 (SANA) Syria celebrated on Monday the national qualifiers for the 10th Arab Reading Challenge at the Damascus Opera House, with officials from Syria and the United Arab Emirates in attendance.
Education Minister Mohammad Abdul Rahman Turko praised the wide participation of over 1.3 million students from more than 6,000 schools nationwide. “This reflects our students’ awareness of reading’s importance in personal growth, their love for the Arabic language, and their pursuit of excellence in knowledge and culture,” he said during the awards ceremony, where top performers were honored.
Bana Abdullah from Damascus Governorate was crowned Syria’s overall champion, while Mahmoud Imran from Aleppo Governorate took the title in the category for students with disabilities.
Turko highlighted the Education Ministry’s efforts to instill a reading culture and promote academic distinction.
Fawzan Al Khalidi, director of programs at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, reported unprecedented global engagement: more than 40 million students from 60 countries, 138,000 schools, and 161,000 supervisors.
UAE Ambassador to Syria Hamad Rashid bin Oluwan Al Habsi commended Syria’s outstanding role. “This honor acknowledges Syria’s brilliant presence in the Arab world and its constructive efforts to preserve the Arabic language,” he stated.
The Arab Reading Challenge, launched annually and backed by the UAE philanthropic foundation, seeks to boost reading habits among Arab youth and reinforce linguistic heritage.
Kh.A
