128 children emerged as winners in the 10th edition of the Creative Reader Competition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This annual competition, which ran from January to April, garnered participation from an impressive 2,200 individuals.
Maktaba, the Library Management department within the Culture Sector at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), orchestrated an awards ceremony to celebrate the achievements of the competition’s victors and participants. The ceremony was held at Majlis Al Hawashem, Majalis Abu Dhabi, at the Citizens and Community Affairs Office of the Presidential Court. 
The 10th iteration of the Creative Reader Competition showcased the enthusiasm for reading among the youth of the UAE. It recognized 128 winners hailing from various corners of the country, including students with unique learning needs and kindergartners. This demonstrates the growing interest of young people in reading as a means of acquiring knowledge and embracing a literary culture.
Over the past decade, the competition has played a vital role in nurturing a reading habit among the younger generation. Remarkably, more than 10,000 students and youngsters have taken part in the competition over the years. This diverse group includes kindergartners from across the UAE, as well as students from both public and private schools in Cycle 1 and Cycle 2.
The judging panel for this year’s competition was composed of writers, educators, and librarians. They assessed the participants’ entries based on various criteria, including the percentage of completion of reading booklets, the number of books borrowed from public libraries, reading comprehension skills, linguistic and critical analysis abilities, and creative thinking prowess.