11-year-old Egyptian girl beats 40M students in reading contest

Photo courtesy: Gulf NewsAn emotional victory, a Dh500,000 prize and an unexpected gesture from one of the world's most powerful leaders made 11-year-old Mayar Othman Al Shourbagy's moment in Dubai unforgettable. After she was crowned the winner of the 10th Arab Reading Challenge, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum removed the badge he was wearing and pinned it onto the young Egyptian student. Mayar had just achieved something remarkable. She emerged as the champion of the 10th edition of the Arab Reading Challenge, beating more than 40 million students from 60 countries. And as she stood before Sheikh Mohammed, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, he did something that went beyond presenting her with a trophy.According to a report by Gulf News, Sheikh Mohammed kissed Mayar on the head, held her close affectionately and then removed his own badge to pin it onto her. Photo courtesy: Gulf News Why did Sheikh Mohammed give Mayar his own badge?While Sheikh Mohammed did not publicly explain the specific reason behind the gesture, it appeared to be a personal expression of appreciation and encouragement for the young champion. The badge was not part of the announced competition prize. Rather, it was a personal gesture from the Dubai ruler as he congratulated the young student on her achievement.When Mayar’s name was announced as the winner, she jumped up in joy, knelt down and kissed the floor in gratitude before breaking down in tears.This was also not the first time Sheikh Mohammed had gifted his badge to a young student. During a visit to Al Ibda'a Model School in Dubai, he had removed his badge and pinned it onto six-year-old Rayyan Badr Mohammed after the boy confidently recited the ruler's full name, as per Gulf News. That badge was a special-edition Expo 2020 Dubai keepsake.Who is Mayar Othman Al Shourbagy, the girl who beat 40 million students?Mayar's victory was the result of a reading journey that began at school. The 11-year-old Egyptian student read 60 books during her preparation for the competition and was selected from among 17,616,289 contestants in Egypt. “My journey began at school, when my supervisor noticed that I could speak Arabic confidently and had an enlightened outlook,” Mayar said according to Gulf News. She initially started reading poetry before moving on to books, summarising them with what she described as wisdom, intelligence and precision. “My mother, father and entire family supported me. My school also provided the right environment that enabled me to win this title,” she said. Her achievement earned her the championship title and a cash prize of Dh500,000.A competition that brought together over 40 million studentsThe 10th Arab Reading Challenge attracted 40,286,428 students from 60 countries, representing 138,426 schools and 161,507 supervisors. The initiative, launched by Sheikh Mohammed in 2015, aims to encourage reading, strengthen Arabic language skills and nurture a love for knowledge among younger generations.