The Arab Reading Challenge, now in its 10th edition, drew participation from more than 40 million students across 138,000 schools in 60 countries, underscoring its status as one of the world’s largest literacy initiatives.

As one of the region’s largest literacy initiatives, the challenge aims to spark reading among young people across the Arab world and beyond.

According to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, more than 40 million students from 60 countries participated in the tenth edition.

Sheikh Mohammed framed the project as part of a broader commitment to building an educated and aware generation, aligned with the UAE’s long-term vision to invest in people and knowledge.

The initiative is described as developing educated, aware generations with future-ready skills, highlighting education as a long-term societal investment.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said record participation shows the program’s ability to inspire Arab youth to read and to preserve the Arabic language.

Launched in 2015 as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, the program invites Arab-speaking students to read and summarize dozens of books each academic year to bolster literacy, critical thinking and lifelong learning.

The outreach extended to 138,000 schools worldwide with over 161,000 supervisors, illustrating the initiative’s broad reach.

Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed ongoing, lasting support for the Arab Reading Challenge, calling it an impactful project that will continue benefiting students and societies across the Arab world and beyond.

The official participation number is 40,286,428 students, including 76,062 students of determination, marking a 24 percent rise from the ninth edition which had 32.231 million students from 50 countries.

Dubai’s ruler announced the program’s continued growth and commitment via a post on X, framing it as a core part of the UAE’s education strategy and nation-building.