Rabat – The Regional Academy of Education and Training (AREF) in the Fez-Meknes region has chosen Mariam Amjoun, the 9-year-old who won an Arabic reading competition, as its reading ambassador.
AREF made its selection at a youth book fair that opened today in Fez. AREF called the fair “The Youth Book Fair, Edition of Mariam Amjoun.”
In a statement to Maghreb Arab Press, the director of the Fez-Meknes Academy, Mohcine Zouak, welcomed the initiative which encourages students to read, because reading contributes to their personal training and opens the world to them.
Zouak added that the show is one of the academy’s activities to bring books closer to students and their parents.
Originally from Taounate, a town 80 kilometers north of Fez, Amjoun won the 2018 Arabic Reading Challenge in Dubai in October 2018. She outperformed 10.5 million competitors from across the world.
Contestants read at least 50 books and wrote their summaries.
The Arabic Reading Challenge also rewards the best teacher and supervisor in the Arab world.
The total amount of prizes awarded amounts to AED 11 million, or about MAD 30 million.
Amjoun won AED 500,000 (MAD 1.3 million) in prize money.
The fair has several activities including workshops for plastic art and reading under the supervision of teachers and volunteers.
