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4/2/25, 11:36 AM Ministry of Culture launches ‘Reading Ambassadors Initiative’ – UAE Business and Travel Insights – TotalUAE.com
Ministry of Culture launches ‘Reading Ambassadors Initiative’

BY CONTENT ADMIN

ABU DHABI, 30th March 2025 (WAM) — To mark the conclusion of Reading Month 2025, the Ministry of Culture (MOC) concluded the National Reading Month 2025 with the launch of
the Reading Ambassadors Initiative, in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the Federal Youth Authority.
This initiative aims to cultivate a culture of reading by identifying influential figures as mentors and literacy advocates. Through their efforts, MOC seeks to empower communities,
encouraging all segments of society to integrate reading into their daily lives.
The inaugural edition of the initiative features Reading Ambassadors carefully selected across four main categories: writers and pioneers, youth, volunteers, and children. These ambassadors
will play a crucial role in fostering reading habits within the community by launching and implementing impactful initiatives across various channels.

Additionally, they will actively promote best practices and share success stories that inspire a culture of habitual reading. To further embed reading as a daily practice, the ambassadors will
propose innovative projects and take an active role in their implementation at MOC-affiliated libraries and centres.
The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood’s participation in this initiative follows its announcement of Emirati Children’s Day 2025 theme ‘The Right to Identity and National
Culture’. The theme reflects the importance of instilling the principles of national identity among children and youth, enhancing their ability to engage with, contribute to, and express their
cultural heritage, while bolstering their proficiency in the Arabic language, which is a cornerstone of their identity.

By advancing this theme, the Council also seeks to encourage Arabic reading, strengthening children’s connection to their native language while fostering local cultural and knowledge
exchange across different groups of society. This effort also supports the preservation of the UAE’s key cultural artefacts like poetry, proverbs, wisdom, and traditional arts, aligning closely
with the vision and goals of the Reading Ambassadors Initiative.
Commenting on the initiative, Mubarak Al Nakhi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, reaffirmed the MOC’s unwavering commitment to promoting reading through the continuous
development and implementation of creative, sustainable initiatives. These efforts align with the UAE’s vision of positioning reading as a catalyst for progress and sustainable development.
He emphasised that such initiatives reflect the wise leadership’s steadfast belief that reading is the cornerstone of knowledge acquisition and scientific advancement, as well as a key driver of
the nation’s competitiveness and productivity.
He added that MOC firmly believes that fostering a culture of reading is a shared responsibility, requiring active support and participation from all sectors of society.
Encouraging reading as a daily habit is not only an individual endeavour but also a collective duty of institutions and communities. Through this initiative, the Ministry aims to cultivate role
models who lead by example, celebrate the ongoing efforts of influential figures dedicated to promoting reading, and showcase the ambassadors’ success stories and best practices in
integrating reading everyday life.

The ministry, in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and the Federal Youth Authority, will provide full support to the Reading Ambassadors and highlight
their efforts across various media channels. In addition, the ministry will designate creative areas within its Cultural Centres and libraries, offering ambassadors a platform to present their
projects and share their experiences in fostering a culture of reading. An annual forum will also be held at the end of each year to showcase the achievements of the Reading Ambassadors.
The inaugural edition of the initiative features distinguished figures in the Writers and Pioneers category, including Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, Chairperson
of the Board of Directors of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Cultural and Educational Institutions, Dr. Sultan Al Ameemi, writer, poet, Executive Director of the Poetry and
Heritage Department at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Writers Union, Asma Seddiq Al Mutawaa, Founder and
Chair of Al Multaqa Literary Salon, Dr. Aisha Belkhair, Research Advisor at the National Library and Archives, Fahad Al Memari, writer, researcher, and Chairman of the Board of the
Emirates Library and Information Association, Maitha Al Khayat, an internationally acclaimed author, illustrator, and trainer in children’s and young adult literature, and Mohammed Al
Hebsi, writer, novelist, Director of the Literature Department at the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

The volunteer category includes Hashem Al Wali, a trainer, writer, and social content creator, and Fatima Al Hammadi, a certified trainer and head of the volunteer team “Al Dhafra
Testahel.”
In the youth category, the initiative includes Shareena Al Suwaidi, member of the Abu Dhabi Youth Council; Hazza Al Shehhi, member of Ras Al Khaimah Youth Council; Ahmed Matar,
member of Dubai Youth Council; Yaqoub Al Baloushi, member of Sharjah Youth Council; Mohammed Ali Al Ali, member of Umm Al Qaiwain Youth Council; Nasser Khalid Al Harmoudi,

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