Twelve-year-old twin sisters Bisan and Bilsan Kouka from Tunisia have taken the spotlight as joint winners of the 2025 Arab Reading Challenge, an event that drew over 32 million participants from 50 countries. The remarkable duo, who collectively read more than 600 books each, were honored at a grand award ceremony held at the Dubai World Trade Centre by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.The Arab Reading Challenge, which began in 2015, holds the distinction of being the world’s largest Arabic literacy initiative aimed at fostering a love for reading and strengthening Arabic language skills among youth. This year alone, more than 132,000 schools and 161,000 supervisors supported the massive participation, cementing the challenge’s reputation as a key event in promoting knowledge and cultural identity across the Arab world.Bisan and Bilsan, who also enjoy playing the oud and violin respectively, have big dreams beyond their reading achievements. Bisan aspires to be a doctor, while Bilsan aims to become a robotics engineer. In a heartfelt gesture, the twins pledged to donate half of their combined Dh500,000 prize money to support the people of Palestine, with the remainder dedicated to their mother.
Arab Reading Challenge aims to spark new renaissance
The competition also recognized other outstanding talents, including Mohammed Jassim Ibrahim from Bahrain who secured second place with a Dh100,000 prize and Mariam Shamikh from Mauritania who took third place with Dh70,000. Additionally, honors were given to schools, supervisors, and participants from across the Arab world and beyond, highlighting the event’s comprehensive reach and impact.Sheikh Mohammed praised the winners and all participants, underscoring the challenge’s role in inspiring a new generation of Arab thinkers and readers. He described this generation as one that “brings hope, and will revive Arab civilization.” The success of these young readers signals the enduring power of Arabic language and culture in a globalized, digital age.With a total prize pool of Dh11 million, the Arab Reading Challenge remains a testament to the power of reading and education to build a better future. As Bisan and Bilsan’s achievement shows, the challenge is more than a contest – it is a movement nurturing knowledge, creativity, and hope throughout the Arab world.
