ALC Sustains Momentum In Community Campaign To Promote Sustainable Reading Across The UAE

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) initiated the Community Campaign to Promote Sustainable Reading in February, aligning with National Reading Month. The campaign, themed "Knowledge Illuminates Our Community," supports the UAE's 2025 Year of Community declaration. It aims to foster a reading culture across all ages, promoting the Arabic language and community identity.

Engaging over 50,000 people, the campaign reached schools, universities, and public spaces. It effectively connected with diverse audiences through direct participation and media outreach. The initiative included more than 2,000 creative activities and involved collaboration with over 100 government and private entities.

The campaign's year-long efforts emphasised reading as a tool for advancing community principles. It aimed to strengthen the Arabic language as a vital expression of shared heritage and values. By instilling a sustainable reading culture, it encouraged younger generations to adopt reading as a daily habit.

Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of ALC, stated that the campaign met its performance indicators by embedding reading into everyday life. He noted that after six months of programming across various sectors, the initiative will continue throughout the year with renewed activities.

A variety of events supported the campaign’s goals during the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), which hosted 2,350 school visits. These events highlighted reading's importance for individual and societal growth. The programme also included initiatives focused on Emirati heritage and educational entertainment via radio broadcasts.

All ALC departments participated in diverse programmes catering to community interests. Activities included reading clubs, creative writing workshops, intellectual lectures, and dialogue sessions with authors. Other highlights were artistic forums, poetry evenings, storytelling sessions, book launches, children's events, and cultural competitions.

The campaign launched Digital Reading Month through literary award platforms like the Sheikh Zayed Book Award. Initiatives such as "100 Stories from Our Community" encouraged young readers by empowering them with knowledge for future growth.

The "Child Reads" event provided an engaging experience for young participants reflecting the Year of Community theme. Additionally, an introductory session for the "Arabic Pals" competition attracted children from various age groups by explaining its objectives and cultural values.

The campaign will continue until year's end with activities across 14 knowledge domains designed to engage all societal segments regardless of age or background. Each domain offers curated initiatives like seminars, workshops, and other innovative activities to maintain engagement.

With inputs from WAM