Based on the declaration of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, of 2016 as the Year of Reading and following up on the implementation of His Highness’s directives, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended this morning the “100 Retreat” which includes the most important 100 national figures concerned with the Year of Reading to establish a general framework and discuss permanent national initiatives that work to establish reading as a permanent community habit in the United Arab Emirates and for future generations.
His Highness, while attending the retreat, accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that “the Year of Reading is the beginning of a permanent change in the UAE society to raise a generation of readers who are aware of the developments around them and are ready to lead a new phase of development in their country. The goal of the 100th retreat is to develop a ten-year strategy, initiatives and sustainable programmes through which we can bring about a real change in our future generations and establish reading as an authentic habit in our society and in all our facilities.”
His Highness said, “Reading is the first skill that our children need, and the government’s job is not only to provide services, but also to build minds and skills. The next phase of development in the UAE requires an educated, reading generation that has a passion for curiosity, a love of exploration, and a depth of learning.” His Highness added, “We are optimistic about the future, optimistic about educated generations, and optimistic about peoples who read their history and prepare for their future. Every father, mother, and official, and everyone who is keen on the future of our children is our partner in the Year of Reading. We want reading in every school, department, office, and home, and in all our facilities, parks, and streets, and the beginning is here, at the Khalwat al-Mita.”
The participants in the 100th retreat, which was also attended by His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, and His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, were divided into six main tracks: education, the government sector, the private sector, publishing, content and media, and reading for non-Arabic speakers.
The 100th Retreat discussed more than 100 ideas and initiatives in these sectors, which will be the basis for building a long-term strategy to be implemented across all relevant sectors.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has directed the formation of a higher committee to supervise the Year of Reading, which includes in its membership relevant government officials such as the Ministry of Culture and Community Development, the Ministry of Education and others, in addition to the most important national figures supervising national cultural and knowledge events aimed at spreading the culture of reading in the country and awards related to the Arabic language or publishing books, in addition to representatives of unions concerned with writers, authors and publishers such as the Emirates Writers and Authors Union and others, headed by His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs.
The committee will develop an integrated strategic plan and a comprehensive national framework to encourage reading and bring about societal behavioral change to spread the culture of reading in all facilities and fields and among all groups.
The committee will also coordinate all efforts and launch initiatives to establish the UAE as the capital of content and knowledge in the region and implement the directives of the President of the State to graduate a reading and informed generation that can lead knowledge-based development in the country.
The media sector is considered the main channel for reaching the community in all its categories and one of the basic enablers for the effective implementation of the national plan aimed at making the United Arab Emirates a beacon of science, innovation and development through reading.
The group representing the media sector included a group of the best media professionals in the country and representatives of media entities, headed by His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Media Council.
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