Culture Ministry Introduces Reading Advocates Program
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched a new initiative aimed at promoting a culture of reading among its youth and broader society. Known as the Reading Ambassadors Initiative, this collaborative effort by the Ministry of Culture (MOC), the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the Federal Youth Authority is designed to enhance literacy, encourage knowledge acquisition, and support national development goals.
Among the notable figures in the inaugural group of Reading Ambassadors are Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, Dr. Sultan Al Ameemi, and youth champions from the UAE Arab Reading Challenge. The initiative recognises Reading Ambassadors in four categories: writers and pioneers, youth, volunteers, and children.
The main objectives of the Reading Ambassadors Initiative include encouraging reading habits across diverse age groups and communities, empowering youth and readers to become influential advocates of knowledge, and supporting national development by linking literacy and education to innovation, creativity, and the knowledge economy.
By cultivating ambassadors who champion reading, the initiative contributes to fostering critical thinking, creativity, and lifelong learning skills essential for the UAE’s sustainable growth and global competitiveness. It also aligns with other cultural and educational programs aimed at youth empowerment, such as those by the Ministry of Culture and elite academic initiatives, which prepare young Emiratis for leadership roles both nationally and internationally.
Selected Reading Ambassadors will lead impactful reading campaigns, promote best practices, and share success stories. Dedicated spaces within cultural centers will be created for sharing the projects of the Reading Ambassadors. Ongoing media support will be provided for the Ambassadors, and they will be celebrated in an annual forum.
The synergy between the Reading Ambassadors Initiative and Emirati Children's Day 2025, with its theme of 'The Right to Identity and National Culture', highlights the UAE's commitment to nurturing future generations through cultural and educational engagement. Mubarak Al Nakhi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to making reading a cornerstone of national development.
The initiative also emphasises the importance of Arabic literacy and the preservation of national identity. Through the Reading Ambassadors, the UAE aims to foster a culture of reading across the country, ultimately contributing to a knowledgeable, creative, and culturally engaged society. The participation of these notable figures underscores the transformative power of reading in shaping the future of the UAE.
- The Reading Ambassadors Initiative, a collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the Federal Youth Authority, aims to link literacy and education to innovation, creativity, and the knowledge economy, thereby supporting national development goals.
- By recognizing Reading Ambassadors in four categories, including youth, the UAE's Reading Ambassadors Initiative seeks to empower young readers to become influential advocates of knowledge and foster critical thinking, creativity, and lifelong learning skills.
- The Reading Ambassadors Initiative's objectives include encouraging reading habits across diverse age groups and communities, promoting best practices, and sharing success stories, all with the goal of nurturing a knowledgeable, creative, and culturally engaged society.
- The synergy between the Reading Ambassadors Initiative and Emirati Children's Day 2025 underscores the UAE's commitment to nurturing future generations through cultural and educational engagement, with a focus on the right to identity and national culture.
