A Moroccan girl, aged nine, has won this year's Arab Reading challenge, Al Bayan reported.
Mariam Amjoun was declared Arab Reading Champion 2018, out 10.5 million students from 44 countries, who took part in the contest.
UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum honoured the winner.
The 2018 champion won a cash prize of AED550,000 ($150,000) - $100,000 of which will be allocated to her university education and $50,000 to her family for their support.
المتأهلون الخمسة للفوز بلقب #تحدي_القراءة_العربي 2018@ArabReading pic.twitter.com/kbVsuWDu4A
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) October 30, 2018
Al Ikhlas School from Kuwait won the AED1 million Outstanding School prize for its reading initiatives – of which AED100,000 will go to its principal.
Participants in the third edition of the Arab Reading challenge were required to read and summarise 50 books in a school year.