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In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sobha Realty announced a contribution of AED500 million for an endowment supporting the Arab Reading Challenge initiative.

The initiative aims to promote reading, learning, and knowledge acquisition as an expression of cultural identity and a daily habit among students, and to strengthen the status of the Arabic language as a vessel of thought and culture and a core component of identity.

It also advances the mission of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) to create a positive impact in Arab societies and the broader cultural landscape, and to empower new generations to carry forward the Arab civilisation.

Sobha Realty’s contribution was announced during the signing of an agreement by His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, and PNC Menon, Founder and Chairman of Sobha Realty, during the ceremony to mark the crowning of the 2025 Arab Reading Champion, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre today.

The contribution will enable the Arab Reading Challenge, which operates under the umbrella of MBRGI, to continue the successful journey it began in 2015 as the world’s largest Arabic-language reading competition.

Under the agreement, Sobha Realty will develop an endowment in Dubai, with all proceeds directed to the Arab Reading Challenge initiative. The funding will support the Arab Reading Challenge initiative’s strategic plans to develop knowledge and cultural programmes, Arabic-language preservation projects, and initiatives that empower young Arabs to pursue knowledge and modern sciences, benefit from humanity’s achievements across fields, and help build a better Arab future.

Inspiring changemakers

His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi said that the Arab Reading Challenge continues to make significant strides in its efforts to spread knowledge and preserve the Arabic language, reflecting the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to adopt long-term planning that aims to inspire new generations of Arabs to read and create, identify and nurture promising talent, and provide a model learning environment that enables students to hone their abilities and play an active role in driving real change across Arab societies.

His Excellency Al Gergawi said: “Sobha Realty’s contribution reflects the community’s unique engagement with efforts made by the UAE and MBRGI to equip new Arab generations with knowledge, modern tools, and a clear vision for building an Arab future rooted in culture and learning. These efforts will open the door wide for Arab students to achieve their academic and professional ambitions and to play an influential role in building their nations.”

Noble goal

PNC Menon said: “We are excited to be among the contributors to the Arab Reading Challenge initiative, helping it achieve its noble goal of nurturing educated, informed generations who recognise that acquiring knowledge is essential to academic and life success. Our support stems from our commitment to social responsibility and reflects our determination to stand by every student and make it easier for them to access knowledge across all fields. We look forward to this endowment playing a meaningful role in supporting students and giving them the opportunity to hone their skills and develop their potential.”

Menon added: “Sobha Realty’s contribution builds on our close partnership with MBRGI, and our shared commitment to making a positive difference in people’s lives. It reflects both parties’ firm belief in the importance of reading in students’ development and the need to align efforts and engage all segments of society to provide the right conditions for new generations to express themselves, keep up with evolving learning methods, and access information quickly.”

Momentous journey

Over nine editions, the Arab Reading Challenge has attracted more than 163 million students, over 927,000 Arab school entries, and more than 877,000 reading supervisors. Participation grew from 3.6 million students in the first edition to over 32 million in the ninth, which concluded on 23 October this year, representing an increase of more than 795%. The 9th edition alone involved over 132,000 schools and more than 161,000 supervisors from 50 countries.

A key milestone was reached on 18 December 2024, when the Arab League invited Arab education ministries to adopt the Arab Reading Challenge as a curricular programme and support its expansion, recognising it as a leading knowledge and cultural project that strengthens Arabic as a vessel of Arab heritage and identity.

The Challenge awards a total of AED11 million annually, bringing total prizes since its 2015 launch to AED99 million, with AED500,000 for the overall Arab Reading Champion, AED1,000,000 for the Best School, AED300,000 for the Outstanding Supervisor, AED200,000 for the People of Determination Champion, and AED100,000 for the Community Champion.

The Arab Reading Challenge was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2015 as the largest-ever Arab literacy initiative. It aims to promote reading among students across the Arab world and beyond, strengthen language skills such as comprehension and clear self-expression, and nurture young Arabs’ love for the language and its everyday use. It seeks to instill a lasting passion for knowledge and reading in new generations, equip them with the tools to create a better future and build their character. The challenge also aims to shape the values of young people by facilitating exposure to the customs, beliefs, and traditions of other cultures.