Abu Dhabi, 28 February 2026: The Ministry of Culture has announced the launch of the ‘National Month of Reading 2026’, to be held throughout March, in alignment with the declaration of 2026 as the ‘Year of Family’ under the theme ‘Growing in Unity’. The initiative aims to reinforce the role of family in fostering a love of reading among children, while strengthening authentic Emirati values.
His Excellency Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, said: “The ‘National Month of Reading 2026’ celebrates the value of knowledge and its pivotal role in strengthening national identity. It highlights family as a cornerstone in cultivating a reading culture, which remains essential to preserving our identity, values and authentic Emirati heritage.”
His Excellency highlighted that fostering reading habits within the family contributes to the intergenerational transmission of cultural and intellectual heritage, builds awareness about the unique values guiding the Emirati society, preserves its cultural cohesion and strengthens national belonging. His Excellency also stated that reading is integral to nurturing a conscious generation which actively engages in community development and positively shapes the nation’s future.
The Month of Reading initiative features a ‘Reading Retreat’, with participation from approximately 30 federal and local entities, public benefit organisations, as well as representatives from the cultural and education sectors. The retreat marks the 10th anniversary of the declaration of the ‘Year of Reading’ and the issuance of the Reading Law in 2016.
It aims to explore various challenges in implementing the Reading Law, propose initiatives to address them and present the results of the UAE National Reading Index 2025 survey. The discussions will cover the methodology of developing it for the coming years and highlight the UAE’s achievements in the domain of reading from 2016 to 2026. In addition, long-term strategic initiatives for 2026/2036 will be developed as part of the future National Reading Plan.
As part of the initiative, a wide range of activities and events will be organised at the Ministry of Culture’s Cultural and Creative Centres across the UAE, with the aim of cultivating reading habits among society members.
The National Month of Reading is one of the Ministry’s flagship cultural initiatives, delivered as part of its strategy to establish a strong science and knowledge ecosystem. Another facet of this broader strategy is the National Framework for Emirati Cultural Activities in Schools, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, targeting students of all age groups, from kindergarten to Cycle 3, across both public and private schools.
Since 2016, the UAE has taken critical measures to establish reading as an easily accessible right for all. These include approving the National Strategy for Reading 2016-2026, encompassing 30 key national directives across the education, health, culture, community development, media and content sectors, as well as the issuance of the first-of-its-kind Reading Law establishing legislative frameworks and executive programs, while clearly defining government responsibilities to embed reading as a sustainable national value.