By Ghayt Bennis
Rabat – Firdaous Bouzeryouh, a 9 year old Moroccan girl, won the “ Arab reading Challenge” in Germany, in the category of Arabic readers living in non-Arabic communities. She will now go on to compete in a further round of competitions in Dubai.
Bouzeryouh competed against 23 participants from different nationalities, representing 70 Arabic language schools in Germany. Firdaous Bouzeryouh participated at the qualifying rounds in Berlin on Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8.
Bouzeryouh has read 25 books over the past 5 months and presenting resumes for the competition.“I was born in Germany, but I also visited Morocco by reading books about the Kingdom and the Moroccan traveler Ibn Battouta,” she said.
“I have read many books in Arabic that have opened my mind and involved me in incredible worlds. Reading made me visit many places and helped me to beat stage fright and be more confident” she added.
Firdaous Bouzeryouh is a very young reader who is enthusiastic about Arabic. Her family from Rif region who are now sitting in Rüsselsheim, Germany, introduced her to the values of Arabic and helped her to read widely. She has developed her talent at the school of l’Amitié, where she attends courses in Arabic.
Her father, Ali Bouzeryouh, said that he is delighted with this accomplishment. According to her father, Firdaous has her mother to thank for the significant role she played in motivating and encouraging her child to learn and read Arabic.
Expats living in non-Arab countries have more limited access to Arabic reading materials. However, mosques play a major role in lArabic learning in Germany, which helps people understand Islam’s fundamental principles and to keep their Muslim identity.
Mariam Aklekan, Bouzeryouh’s teacher, pointed out that this victory is not due to chance, but to efforts and guidance of Firdaous’s family, who ensured that her daughter maintain a solid relationship with the Arabic language and reading.
