The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) has announced the top three winners of its creative writing competition, “Read, Dream, Create” with winners receiving a collection from Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature winning books and certificates at their schools during the morning assembly. The first prize winner of the creative writing contest is 11-year-old Shaima Refat for her story called “Noqtat Bada’a”. Second prize went to 8-year-old Hana’a Mahdi for her story, “Hana’a Discoveries” and third prize to 9-year-old Sara Thaib Al Ahbabi for her piece titled “Dragon Heroes”. First and second prize winners also get a chance to spend an afternoon with a famous children’s book author.The judging panel, comprising Maitha Al-Khayat, a children’s Emirati author, Latifa Al Najjar, Managing Director of Dar Al Aalam Al Arabi for Publishing and Distribution and Rai Abdulal, an author evaluated the entries and chose the winners.
Marwa Obaid Al Aqroubi, President of UAEBBY Executive Board congratulated the winners saying, “The objective of this competition is to encourage reading, storytelling and creative writing in our youth. It aims to encourage children to use their imagination, be creative, innovate and write stories. We want to ensure young people maintain a vibrant imagination and nurture their creativity.” “We are proud to say that we achieved this with our three young winners creating outstanding work in creative writing. This shows what our youth are capable of when given encouragement and opportunity.” Al Aqroubi added. UAEBBY’s “Read, Dream, Create” campaign was launched during Sharjah International Book Festival (SIBF) in 2013, in the presence of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, under the auspices of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Patron of UAEBBY. The Campaign organised a range of reading related activities across the UAE to promote community involvement in creating a culture of reading among children.The UAEBBY is the national section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), which represents an international network of organisations and people from all over the world who are committed to encouraging a culture of reading and bringing children closer to world of books.