The Minister of Education and Technical Education witnesses the closing ceremony of the eighth session of the “Arab Reading Challenge
Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education and Technical Education, witnessed this evening the closing ceremony of the eighth session of the “Arab Reading Challenge” competition in Egypt. Honoring the winning students nationwide, as well as the distinguished supervisors participating in the competition for the academic year 2023/2024, at the theater of the Al-Manara International Conference Center.
This came in the presence of Counselor Saleh Al Saadi, Deputy Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Egypt, Dr. Abdul Karim Sultan Al Olama, Executive Director of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, and representatives of the Emirati delegation.
From the Ministry of Education and Technical Education, Dr. Ahmed Daher, Deputy Minister for Technological Development, Dr. Iman Hassan, Head of the Central Administration for Educational Activities, Dr. Sherine Hamdi, Advisor to the Minister for International Relations and Agreements and Supervisor of the Central Administration for the Affairs of the Minister’s Office, Professor Mohamed Attia, Head of the Central Administration for Education with Expenses, and Dr. Zainab Nour El-Din Mashhour, Director General of the General Administration of Libraries and General Coordinator of the Reading Challenge at the Ministry of Education, and a number of Ministry leaders and directors of educational directorates.
During his speech, Dr. Reda Hegazy expressed his happiness to participate in this ceremony, praising the strong and solid relations between Egypt and the Emirates under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, saying: “The relations The Egyptian-Emirati relations are a model of bilateral and fraternal relations in the Arab region, and they are historical and close relations whose foundations were established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan - may God have mercy on him - who enjoys the love of every Egyptian citizen.”
The Minister extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Egypt, to all of the competition’s participants and supporters, and to its supervisors, members of the Emirati delegation, for their efforts to make this huge Arab cultural project a success. Wishing them continued success, and may this distinguished competition continue to achieve its desired goals.
The Minister also expressed his deep pride and gratitude for the great success achieved by the Arab Reading Challenge Project, the inauguration and continuation of which is due to the tireless efforts and generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to encourage reading among students in the Arab world through commitment. More than one million students were targeted to participate by reading fifty million books during each year.
Dr. Reda Hegazy continued: “Allow me to borrow the eloquent phrase of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in which he said: (Books are vessels of thought, and factories of values for generations. A reading generation is a promising generation, and a reading nation is a nation that invests in the future),” pointing out This phrase represented the truest expression of this project and its lofty message in seeking to build the Arab character, as the “Arabic” Reading Challenge Competition is one of the largest competitions in which the Ministry participates in the Arab world, and aims to instill a love of reading in the hearts of students. To enrich the cultural environment in schools, develop awareness of the importance of reading, enhance patriotism and a sense of belonging, and spread the values of tolerance, moderation and acceptance of others, in addition to forming a generation of distinguished and creative people in all fields.
Dr. Reda Hegazy stressed that what he saw today fulfills Egypt’s vision for sustainable development 2030, which aims to provide a distinguished education in which the student is proud of himself, proud of his country, accepts pluralism, and is capable of competitiveness, noting that his feeling of pride and appreciation is due to the participation of more than 16 people. One million students in the Arab Reading Challenge competition out of the total number of students in Egypt, which is 25.5 million students.
The Minister explained that the Ministry has a strategic plan for 2024/2029 in light of the government’s programme, which focuses on building people, noting that the evidence witnessed today indicates that we are on the right path to building people, as achievement tests are no longer the greatest goal, but sustainability. In developing skills, abilities and knowledge, as our children today are able to confront and express their ideas freely.
The Minister also pointed out that in light of the industrial revolution, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence, jobs will disappear and other jobs will appear, indicating the Ministry’s strong direction to employ technology in education in a way that affects the learning outcomes, its path, and the form of development, which makes the student capable of lifelong learning and self-learning, and possessing... Sustainable skills that help compete.
The minister added that the other dimension of the government's work program is education for employment, in addition to developing the values of loyalty, belonging, and protecting security.
The Minister also praised the students’ presentation today, which demonstrated their passion and joy in reading, pointing out that this is our real challenge, which is to achieve learning for fun and joy.
Dr. Reda Hegazy pointed out that student activities are one of the tasks that support and strengthen the educational process, and through them we aim to discover talents, pay attention to them, nurture them, and develop them.
Dr. Reda Hegazy also expressed his happiness at the victory of the male and female students in this competition. He is proud that the number of our students participating in this academic year 2023/2024 for the competition in the eighth year at the republic level reached (16) million (651) thousand (479) students, and the number of participating schools reached (28) thousand (741) schools, while The number of supervisors reached (39) thousand and (119) supervisors, and the number of participating students with disabilities reached (31) thousand and (206) students. The competition ended with the victory of (1183) students at the educational directorate level, including (20) students from People of determination, which reflects the deep awareness that students of this generation have of the importance of reading and its fruits, and its role in refining their personalities in the various colors of knowledge and sciences. It also confirms their awareness of the goals of this creative competition, indicating that all participants in this competition are winners, and there is not a single loser. This competition put everyone who had the honor of competing in it on the right path to refine the soul and elevate the mind through reading, as a means of acquiring science and knowledge, developing a sense of creativity and innovation, and acquiring the ability for self- and continuous learning.
The Minister sent a message to the winning students, saying: “Be a role model in your societies, and improve your morals, for knowledge does not bear fruit properly unless its possessors are characterized by the qualities of compassion, giving, altruism, cooperation, sincerity, and acceptance of others, and continue to take on the challenge of reading in the face of all manifestations.” Ugliness, forms of ignorance and its products, as there is no weapon more powerful than the book, and no power greater than knowledge and the ability to create.”
At the conclusion of his speech, the Minister extended his thanks and appreciation to those in charge of organizing the Arab Reading Challenge project, wishing all its participants success in achieving its goals in promoting innovation and creativity, and refining the talents of Arab children. He also congratulated the winning students, the distinguished supervisors, and all educational leaders in all the governorates that participated. In achieving this achievement.
For his part, Counselor Saleh Al-Saadi, Deputy Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Egypt, said that today’s celebration is a culmination of the champions of the Arab Reading Challenge in its eighth session in the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt, in order to honor the record Egyptian participation in this largest demonstration of its kind in the Arabic language in the world.
The Deputy Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates added that Egypt was and will remain the Arab, civilizational and cultural center of gravity, and the Egyptian-Emirati relationship will remain a model to be emulated in relations between brothers, pointing to the innumerable commonalities between the two sister countries, the most prominent of which is the firm interest in resuming Arab civilization and making every possible effort to enable... New generations to possess the foundation of science and knowledge, and to consolidate their capabilities and skills to advance the Arab cultural and educational situation, and to harness and bring about the desired positive change in the civilization and future of the Arab world, based on our conviction that true development is based only on comprehensive knowledge and the ability to absorb the developments of the era.
The Deputy Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates continued that we all know that advancing knowledge and culture is the only way to formulate a better Arab future, and the UAE continues with the visions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President. The Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai launched specific initiatives to spread the culture of reading and promote Arabic reading, most notably the Arab Reading Challenge.
The Deputy Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates expressed his pride today for the success of the Arab Reading Challenge initiative launched by the Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation in 2015 in attracting tens of millions of students, participating and competing with them, which played a vital role in encouraging increased cognitive improvement and reading as a daily act in the lives of young people. It is an embodiment of a model of stepping up to the podium during the Arab Reading Challenge qualifiers at the country level and participation every year.
The Deputy Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Egypt added that the goal of all of us is to spread knowledge and enable the rising generations to build a better future. The UAE will remain faithful to its mission of consolidating the capabilities and programs to advance the cultural and educational situation in the Arab world, and the process of the Arab Reading Challenge continues to enhance the importance of reading among students and consolidate achievement. Scientific and cognitive education as a daily culture in the lives of new generations, enhancing the status of the Arabic language, developing creative thinking skills, enhancing the values of cultural openness and communication with different cultures.
The Deputy Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates congratulated the sister Arab Republic of Egypt for this record participation and this new success. He also congratulated the winners, male and female, their families, and all those in charge of the initiative, expressing his appreciation for the efforts of the Egyptian Ministry of Education, those in charge of the educational process, and everyone who participated in the success of the eighth session.
For her part, Dr. Iman Hassan, Head of the Central Administration for Student Activities, praised the students, parents, and library specialists. She said: We have lived the challenge for eight years, and these years have witnessed many achievements and challenges, the challenge that pushed our students to achieve their dreams. Every challenge is a new opportunity for growth and learning and an opportunity to prove that they are capable of excellence and success. Reading fifty books works to motivate and create a generation of scholars and writers. ".
Dr. Iman Hassan added that every book is a passport to interact with great minds that make the world better. Reading is the beginning of the path to a better future based on science and knowledge. As His Highness Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may God protect him, said, “Nations that read own the reins of progress... A people that does not “It is a people without identity and without a future,” which expresses a real interest in launching luminous initiatives aimed at developing the capabilities of young people and young people and discovering distinguished people that have gone beyond the borders of the Emirates to reach all parts of the Arab world.
During the ceremony, Dr. Reda Hegazy, Minister of Education and Technical Education, was honored for the efforts of the Ministry of Education and Technical Education in the success of the eighth session of the competition.
At the end of the ceremony, the Minister and the Deputy Ambassador honored the winners of the Distinguished Supervisor Award, where Ms. Jehan Morsi Al-Sayed Morsy from Qalyubia Governorate won first place, Mr. Amr Ragab from Cairo Governorate won second place, and Ms. Sahar Abdel Fattah from Kafr El-Sheikh won third place.
The two sides also honored the winners of the competition in the People of Determination category. Student Ali Muhammad Ali Jibril in the second year of secondary school at Gerga School in Sohag Governorate won first place, student Muhammad Abdullah Muhammad Youssef from Al Nour School for the Blind from Alexandria Governorate won second place, and student Maryam Muhammad Abdel Fattah from Al Nour School for the Blind in Damietta Governorate won third place.
Dr. Reda Hegazy and Counselor Saleh Al-Saadi honored the students who won the first ten places. The first place at the level of the Arabic Reading Challenge in Egypt for the year 2024 was won by the student Ahmed Hanafi Hassan Abdo, the second place was won by the student Salma Hatem Muhammad, and the third place was won by the student Hana Mustafa Ghallab. The fourth place was won by the student Muhammad Adel Muhammad Awaida, the fifth place was won by the student Reem Ihab Hassan from Beni Suef Governorate, the sixth place was won by the student Abdul Rahman Muhammad Abdo from Damietta Governorate, the seventh place was won by the student Sondos Shams El-Din Abdel Hamid from Sohag Governorate, and the eighth place was won by the female student Hajar Haitham Muhammad is from the Suez Governorate, and the ninth place was won by the student Khaled Hossam Metwally from the Sharkia Governorate, and the tenth place was won by the student Haneen Muhammad Abdullah from the North Sinai Governorate.
Zohour Al-Yasmeen School in Cairo Governorate won first place and the title of Outstanding School in the Arabic Reading Challenge nationwide.
The ceremony included a video showing the final statistics of the initiative’s participants in the eighth season, a video entitled “A Hero’s Story” about the inspiring success stories of people of determination’s participation in the “Arab Reading Challenge” competition, singing segments, as well as a special segment asking questions to the top four and voting to announce the winner. .