In celebration of the Month of Reading, the Emirates Literature Foundation has launched a reading challenge open to everyone in the UAE. There are two categories, individual and family, and entries can be in either Arabic or English.

To enter, people simply have to read as many books as they can in one month and share the list of books with a one-line review for each. The family category draws on the theme for this year’s Month of Reading, #MyFamilyReads, which focuses on enhancing the parents’ role in instilling a love of reading in children and raising a generation passionate about reading and knowledge. All books recorded in the Family category should be read to or with the same child, but the adults can change.

Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and Trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation, said: “The Month of Reading is a wonderful and important initiative. Whilst there is a focus on creating a new generation of readers, we mustn’t forget that adults can play a huge role in shaping children’s attitudes towards books. 

“If you read for pleasure yourself and read books regularly with your children, you are very likely to ensure that your offspring become avid readers. We are launching our Reading Challenge to remind people to make time for books in their daily lives. I hope not only parents, but grandparents, aunts and uncles also get involved in the family challenge, because books and the joy they bring should be enjoyed by everyone.”

The Foundation is also challenging its own team to step up its reading for the month. The number and the full list of books read by the team will be announced in early April.

March was declared Month of Reading in UAE in 2017 as a way to foster a culture of reading with the aim of creating a knowledge economy. This is the fifth year of the programme, which is managed by the Ministry of Culture and Youth.