Arab Reading Challenge TV show set to go on air

The “Arab Reading Challenge” TV show is all set to go on air this Friday, September 27, 2019 on MBC1 as millions of viewers can tune in for the first episode at 9pm UAE timing. 

The first-of-its kind reality show will air every Friday, as 16 semi-finalists from 14 countries compete over eight episodes to become the Arab Reading Champion 2019.  

Viewers will closely follow the contestants’ progress and performance as they partake a set of edutainment challenges and activities and answer tough questions before a panel of judges. The show will provide an insight on the evaluation process of contestants, filtering them down to five finalists who will reach the final ceremony, which will announce the winner of the 4thedition of the Arab Reading Challenge on the last episode to be broadcasted live. 

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives have turned the challenge’s semi-finals into a TV show this year to highlight the importance of reading in shaping young personalities and recognize young readers who worked tirelessly to develop their personalities and reach this far into the competition. 

The show is produced by Fremantle, the creators of the widely-acclaimed talent shows including “The X Factor,” and “Arabs Got Talent”. The winner, to be announced in November at a grand ceremony in Dubai Opera, will take home Dh500,000 as part of the challenge that distributes Dh11 million worth of cash prizes. 

The Arab Reading Challenge through the years

The Arab Reading Challenge has transformed into a wide phenomenon that continues to attract an increasing number of participants. The challenge’s 4thedition has attracted a whopping 13.5 million students from 49 countries, a fourfold rise from the first edition that saw 3.5 million students from 15 countries in 2016. The challenge witnessed double the participation in 2017, compared to its first edition, with over 7.4 million students from 15 countries. 

Last year, the number of participants reached over 10.5 million students from 44 countries after the competition opened the doors to Arab students living in foreign countries for the first time. Over four years, the challenge has attracted over 30 million students. 

Moroccan Mariam Amjoun was crowned the Arab Reading Champion last year, while Al Ekhlas School from Kuwait won the “best school” award, ahead of 52,000 schools, for its diverse reading initiatives and programs that encouraged students to take up books at a young age. Out of 86,000 supervisors, Aisha Al Tuwairki from Saudi Arabia bagged the “outstanding supervisor” award.

In 2017, Palestinian Afaf Al Sharif won the Arab Reading Challenge’s second edition. Al Iman School from Bahrain won the “best school” award, while Houriya Al Thil from Morocco won the “outstanding supervisor” award. 

Algerian student Abdullah Farah was the first Arab Reading Champion declared in 2016 and Tala'a Al Amal school from Palestine grabbed the “best school” award. 

Through several elimination stages, students start competing at class level, then school level, proceeding to the level of the educational district, directorate or governorate where top 10 students are selected from each country, leading to the announcement of the national winner.

The challenge’s national winners will represent their countries this year through the TV show, to be aired on MBC1, from Dubai before competing for the grand prize in the final ceremony to be held in Dubai.  

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Arab Reading challenge in 2015, encourage school students across the Arab world to read and critique 50 books in one academic year. The largest-ever reading initiative aims to promote a culture of knowledge among the young generation, who will lead the future. 

The 16 semi-finalists

The show will feature the 16 national winners, selected across the Arab world, to represent their countries in the Arab Reading Challenge: 

Mezna Najeeb (UAE)

Umm Nasri Mamin (Mauritania)

Aya Noureddine (Tunisia)

Naima Kabir (Algeria)

Hadeel Anwar Al Zoubir (Sudan)

Shaimaa Qahtan Ahmed Kazakzeh (Jordan)

Fahad Shuja Al Habout (Saudi Arabia)

 Jumana Saeed Al-Malki (Saudi Arabia)

Fatima Al Zahra Akhyar (Morocco)

Raneem Samir Hamouda (Egypt)

Shaima Ali Basyouni from Al-Azhar Al-Sharif (Egypt)

Abdulaziz Al Khaldi (Kuwait)

Samia bint Sami Al Mafrajieh (Oman)

Omar Al Ma’aita (Palestine)

Bushra Abdulmajeed Assiri (Bahrain)

Lubna Jamal Nasser (Lebanon)