RAMALLAH, October 29, 2026 (WAFA) — Palestinian student Ghazal Rashad Adel Taim, 16, won second place in the 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge, whose results were announced on Thursday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, after being crowned Palestine’s national champion.
Taim, a 10th-grade student at al-Awda Secondary School for Girls, under the Bethlehem Directorate of Education, secured the ranking after competing against five other reading champions from across the Arab world. Egypt’s Mayar al-Shorbagy, 11, took first place, while Saudi student Rayan al-Sukari came third.
The results were announced following a final assessment in which the six contestants competed before an audience. Each was given one minute to answer a direct question, after which attendees voted to select the winner.
Taim had previously won first place in the Palestinian competition, which saw broad participation, with 712,765 students from 1,719 schools taking part under the supervision of 4,788 coordinators.
The results were announced at the closing ceremony of the 10th edition, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
The 10th edition attracted 40,286,428 students from 60 countries, a 24% increase compared with the ninth edition. It also included 74,062 students with disabilities.
A total of 138,426 schools participated, under the supervision of 161,507 coordinators. The initiative is organized by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation and was launched in 2015 to foster a culture of reading and strengthen the presence of the Arabic language among younger generations.
Y.S
