The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced that more than 62,000 people benefited from its Community Campaign to Support Sustainable Reading during the first half of 2026. The milestone marks significant progress in the campaign’s second cycle and highlights its expanding cultural reach.
Launched in support of the UAE’s Year of Family, the initiative promotes reading as a lifelong practice. At the same time, it strengthens the role of Arabic through community partnerships, educational programmes and public engagement.
His Excellency Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC, said: “The continued growth of the Community Campaign to Support Sustainable Reading demonstrates the important role reading plays in strengthening families, communities and our connection to the Arabic language. Reaching more than 62,000 beneficiaries during the first half of the year reflects the success of our expanding programmes and partnerships, while reinforcing our commitment to making reading a daily habit and knowledge a lifelong pursuit that empowers future generations and supports the UAE’s continued cultural development.”
Expanding Access to Arabic Books
Throughout the first half of 2026, the campaign expanded its community programmes and brought Arabic-language publications into everyday environments. Notably, the Khazanat Al Kutub initiative reached more than 54,000 beneficiaries by showcasing ALC publications in key public facilities across the UAE.
Meanwhile, the Reading in Public initiative distributed more than 1,000 Arabic-language books to the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City. Through partnerships with public and private institutions, the programme also places books in cafés, parks, hospitals and hotels. Consequently, ordinary public spaces become opportunities for reading and learning.
The centre also continued its Treasures of Knowledge initiative. As part of the programme, the United Arab Emirates University library received 2,000 titles from the Kalima Project for Translation and the Esdarat publishing project. Furthermore, the initiative will expand to other educational institutions and organisations across Abu Dhabi.
Building Future Readers
Developing younger readers remains another central focus. The second phase of the Kalima School Reading Club plans to reach 40 schools across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Through interactive sessions, educational activities and book distribution, the programme aims to establish reading habits among students and families.
The initiative draws on the Balanced Arabic Readability Corpus (BAREC) project. In addition, it supports reading development while reinforcing Modern Standard Arabic as a language of knowledge, culture and creativity.
Al Dhafra Book Festival also contributed to the campaign’s youth engagement. The festival welcomed 58 school trips involving 1,980 students and 26 volunteers. As a result, the programme strengthened community participation while encouraging younger audiences to engage with books.
Accessibility remains central to the campaign. Through Arabic Through People of Determination Eyes, participants joined specialised workshops, including Braille reading sessions. The initiative, delivered with organisations including the Zayed Authority for People of Determination and Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, promotes creativity, self-expression and cultural participation.
Launched in 2025, the campaign continues to expand through public, private and educational partnerships. Ultimately, its programmes position reading as a daily habit while reinforcing Arabic as a living expression of culture, knowledge and identity.