During the launch of the ARC, Shaikh Mohammad said that the Arab world is currently going through a reading crisis, and the numbers are shocking. “The Arab region has one of the lowest numbers when it comes to reading. This results in the Arab world falling behind in knowledge, and falling behind in civilisation and intellect is something that we are witnessing every day in the Arab world. The ARC is the first step we are taking concerning the issue, and we hope it will have an impact in the long term,” said Shaikh Mohammad.
Shaikh Mohammad stressed that the 50 million books challenge is only a first step that will be followed by many other initiatives, and that the goal is to create a new generation and a better reality.
In October, Shaikh Mohammad signed an agreement with the Court of the Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister to support the Arab Reading Challenge initiative and supply a million books to all schools in the UAE.
Last month, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced the adoption of the Science, Technology and Innovation’s Higher Policy. The plan foresees an investment of over Dh300 billion with a goal to build a vibrant knowledge-based economy in the UAE.
“The UAE is working towards establishing a solid future for the coming generations, away from the fluctuation of energy prices and markets,” commented Shaikh Khalifa.
“The UAE has set its course for a post-oil world through investing in the development of our people in the fields of science and advanced technology,” he added.
