The Customs Training Centre at Dubai Customs has launched ‘Read’ initiative to promote reading among employees and customers. The initiative comes following the declaration of the year 2016 as Year of Reading in the UAE by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to create a reading generation and consolidate the UAE's position as a global capital for culture and knowledge.
The initiative is also influenced by the "Arab Reading Challenge", launched by the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The challenge is the largest Arab project to encourage students in the Arab world to read, with more than a million students committing to read 50 million extracurricular books during every academic year.
H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, said that announcing an initiative that promotes reading underpins DC’s commitment to disseminate knowledge amongst employees, customers and the community. “We have always realized the importance of reading. This first-of-its-kind initiative among customs departments in the UAE helps employees stay current on their field of expertise. Dubai Customs seeks to hone employees’ reading skills and help them become book lovers and lifetime readers,” Ahmed Mahboob noted.
Senior Manager of the Customs Training Centre Shaikha Al Ghafri said that “As part of “Read” initiative, as many as 3,650 reading materials on a wide range of topics will be made available. These will include specialized books in one’s field of expertise, self-development and personal growth books, as well as informative and entertainment materials.”
Cultural fairs, visits, contests and workshops will be held as part of the initiative.