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Arab Reading Challenge inspires war-impacted students

Dubai - The challenge this year has attracted Arab students living in 30 foreign countries across Europe, Asia and Africa.

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Reaching over 10.5 million students around the globe, the Arab Reading Challenge (ARC) has empowered Arab students fleeing war zones to preserve their culture and strengthen their language. 
The challenge this year has attracted Arab students living in 30 foreign countries across Europe, Asia and Africa in a separate category, offering a Dh100,000 prize for the winner who read, summarised and critiqued 25 books.
They joined 16 semi-finalists from 14 Arab countries who are competing over the next two days for the grand $150,000 prize to be announced on Tuesday.  
For students who fled their war-impacted countries, the challenge encouraged them to take pride in their mother tongue and continue learning to someday return armed with knowledge.
Palestinian Aya Humaid left Damascus, where she lived, four years ago at the peak of the civil war to search for a better life in Holland. Reading 17 Arabic science, literary and political books in six months, she said the challenge motivated her to learn Arabic all over again.
"Living abroad has its pros and cons. Studies and living standards are better but we never chose to leave our home and families behind," said the 16-year-old aspiring pharmacist.
She chose to participate after she heard about the challenge from her school principal, with no expectations to win.
Since schools in Europe focus more on teaching foreign languages, Humaid said Arabs find it difficult to preserve their mother tongue. "We read the Quran at home and speak Arabic with one another. I love reading Arabic books, but with our busy school schedule, we lose track."
Opening doors for Arab students from foreign countries, she said "makes us feel confident that we are not forgotten, and that we still belong to our lands".
Humaid said she plans to come back to the Middle East after finishing studies to give back to communities through volunteering.
While the competition entails 25 books for students of non-Arab countries, as compared to 50 required books from students of Arab countries, reading big books can reduce that number.
Born in Pakistan, Palestinian Raghad Shashaa, said she was in the challenge to deliver a message. Joining the competition during difficult times, she still managed to read 17 books just two weeks before the deadline. Reading about human development, literature, religion and satire inspired her to start her first Arab novel.  "If you have your eye on a goal, there's nothing that can stop you. Your mind will not see the rough circumstances, but will just work towards your goal," said the 18-year-old senior school student.
The aspiring dentist said she plans to become a motivational speaker to motivate students in the Arab World. She said her home country is more of an idea than a land.
"When you think of a beautiful idea, you don't look at the challenges. I look forward to returning someday."

Crossing borders to compete

Palestinian Qassam Mohammed, 16, crossed the Allenby Bridge to exit the West Bank into Jordan, passing through borders to use the Queen Alia International Airport from Amman to Dubai.
Hailing from Jenin, he said the struggle and pain always brings out the greatest in people. Mohammed is now among the 16 semi-finalists from Arab countries competing for the grand prize. "The challenge drives us to read, and reading teaches us challenge and persistence. This initiative drives education and it's worth all creativity and effort we put into it."
Mohammed read 170 books in philosophy, religion, science, politics and biographies before selecting 50 books to summarise and critique for the grand competition.He said last year's crowning of the Palestinian Raed Afaf as the Arab Reading Champion has been a double-edged sword that motivated him, yet amplified the level of responsibility. "Her winning made me more persistent to represent Palestine again and win again to prove that no matter how much we struggle, we will be able to shine," said Mohammed.
The 16 semi-finalists will be further narrowed down to five after the jury makes the shortlist based on participants' comprehension of text and ability to communicate accurately in Arabic; critical and creative thinking; and general knowledge.
The third edition of the challenge gives away an award for outstanding school and outstanding supervisor, with cash prizes totaling Dh11 million.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the competition in September 2015 to challenge a million students in the Arab region to read 50 million books.
This year, it attracted over 10.5 million students from 52,000 schools in 44 countries, as compared to 7.4 million students from 25 countries last year. The first round of the challenge had attracted 3.59 million students in 2016.

KT NANO EDIT

Reading opens minds
Launched with the aim of creating a new generation, the Arab Reading Challenge has been a huge win for Arab literacy. Empowerment of children from conflict zones has made its success inestimable, as it only through reading that their minds will be opened to grasp values that define great societies.
Arab Reading Challenge 2018
>10.5 million students
>52,000 schools
>44 countries
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com