An 11-year-old Egyptian girl has won Dh500,000 after emerging victorious in a reading competition involving more than 40 million students from 60 countries. Mayar Othman Al Shourbagy was overcome with emotion as she received the top honour at the 10th Arab Reading Challenge in Dubai on October 29.
According to a Gulf News report, Mayar jumped from her seat when her name was announced, knelt to kiss the floor in gratitude and burst into tears.
She received the trophy from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
In a touching moment, Sheikh Mohammed kissed her head, embraced her and removed his own badge to pin it onto her clothing.
How did she win the competition?
{{/usCountry}}In a touching moment, Sheikh Mohammed kissed her head, embraced her and removed his own badge to pin it onto her clothing.
How did she win the competition?
{{/usCountry}}Mayar secured the title after competing against 40,286,428 students from 60 countries.
She had read 60 books and emerged as Egypt's representative after being selected from more than 17.6 million participants in her country.
The final round featured six contestants who answered questions before a live audience. Each finalist had one minute to respond, with audience voting helping determine the winner.
Speaking to Gulf News, Mayar credited her school and family for encouraging her passion for reading.
“My mother, father and entire family supported me. My school also provided the right environment that enabled me to win this title.”
She explained that her journey began with poetry before developing into a deeper interest in books and the Arabic language.
Dreams of becoming Egypt's information minister
Beyond her victory, Mayar has ambitions of entering public life and promoting her mother tongue.
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She said she hopes to become Egypt's Minister of Information, driven by her admiration for Arabic and her desire to preserve its cultural significance.
She also encouraged children to develop reading habits, describing education and knowledge as essential tools for overcoming conflict and building a better future.
According to Khaleej Times, the competition's 10th edition recorded a 24 per cent increase in participation compared with the previous year.
Meanwhile, The National reported that Mayar intends to use her prize money to help build a library at her school, giving other students greater access to books.