Culture & Education | Wednesday 15 June, 2016 11:31 am |

Malls and shopping centers in the UAE are drawing in large numbers of interested donors and volunteers keen to make the ‘Reading Nation’ Ramadan campaign launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan a resounding success. The campaign aims to distribute five million books to children in refugee camps and underprivileged students in schools around the world. 

 

Branded ‘Reading Nation’ kiosks and stands at malls and retail outlets across the UAE, are offering visitors symbolic books that can be purchased for AED30 - the value of donating three books. The donors are given the opportunity of writing a dedication on the books they choose to donate that are then placed on a book shelf at the stand. The campaign aims to fill all the bookshelves at different stands across retail outlets by the end of the Ramadan.  

 

Maryam Hasan, Emirati student at the Higher College of Technology in Dubai, volunteered to work with Dubai Cares and has been actively involved in helping with the malls initiative of the Reading Nation Ramadan campaign. She said: “I like to be part of charity projects, especially those in which I can represent my country and contribute to enhancing the UAE’s reputation, while building relations with people of friendly nations. I volunteered to help with this campaign that gives deprived children a chance to gain knowledge and am happy to invest my time in a meaningful and useful way.” 

 

Taif Al-Khafaji, an Iraqi national, who was donating books to the campaign at Mirdif City Centre, said: “The idea of the campaign is truly novel and unique and is something one would certainly expect from His Highness Sheikh Moahmmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The aim is to help others not just through providing them with material – the campaign actually helps equip younger generations with the knowledge they need – a strong foundation to build their future. More importantly, this is a nation-wide campaign and stresses the important value of helping other people. I thank all those involved in the campaign for their great efforts and wish them all the success.” 

 

Yousef Ahmad, an Emirati national who brought his son to the Centre to contribute to the campaign, said: “Knowledge is the most important resource we need to help build the future of our children. Reading nourishes the mind and soul and is the necessary cornerstone to build the generations that will build nations in the future. At a time of turbulence in the Arab world, this is a very important initiative from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who always focuses on positive aspects that can help improve the lot of the Arab people and pave the way for their progress.”  

 

Yousef’s son, Abdullah, a sixth-grader at, said: “I love reading, especially stories and science and math books. I want to work in banking and finance. I am here today to donate books and to share my hobby that I enjoy and love. I hope they will help poor children gain knowledge. Even if I don’t know them personally, I am happy to help them.” 

 

The Reading Nation Ramadan campaign has been launched during difficult times for many of the region’s children. The campaign aims to contribute towards developing societies and helping them progress through equipping future generations with knowledge that serves as a foundation in finding solutions for future challenges. 

 

Following previous Ramadan campaigns launched nation-wide that focused on providing clothing and securing water and food, this year’s initiative has transitioned to work on nourishing the mind and soul. It hopes to give children knowledge, the main tools for long-term sustainable development. 

 

The campaign seeks to distribute two million books to children and students in refugee camps, in addition to creating 2,000 libraries in the schools in need around the world through providing two million books. The rest will be available to support educational programs of the UAE’s humanitarian organizations working abroad. 

 

The campaign will continue until the 19th day of Ramadan that coincides with Zayed Humanitarian Day.