Blind Iraqi competes in Arab Reading Challenge with 101 books completed

SALAH AL-DIN — Abrar Mazhar, a 19-year-old from Iraq, is representing her country in the eighth season of the prestigious “Arab Reading Challenge” in Dubai, competing in the category for people of determination. Her achievement comes after reading 101 books, which earned her the top position in her category during a rigorous selection process involving multiple evaluation stages.

“I love listening to books because I am blind, and I discovered this passion when I entered high school and got a smartphone with audio apps that allowed me to enjoy reading,” Mazhar told 964media.

Abrar’s journey began with her nomination by the Al-Duluiya Education Department. She advanced through assessments at the Salah al-Din Education Directorate and the Ministry of Education in Baghdad, eventually surpassing over two million Iraqi students in various categories. A committee from the UAE selected her to represent Iraq in Dubai’s Arab Reading Challenge.

Among her favorite reads are Because You Are Allah and The Birth of a Society, along with numerous novels and stories she accesses through audio libraries and YouTube, supported by her parents.

The Arab Reading Challenge, launched in 2015 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, aims to cultivate a love of reading among young Arabic speakers. The initiative encourages students from grades 1 to 12 to read and summarize 50 books annually.

This year’s ARC, in its eighth edition, saw record-breaking participation, with over 28 million students from more than 229,000 schools across 50 countries, supported by over 154,000 supervisors.

The competition progresses through classroom, school, district, and national levels, culminating in a final round in Dubai. Prizes are awarded across categories, including Arab Reading Champion, Outstanding Supervisor, and Best School, to promote literacy and recognize excellence among young read