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HE Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has honoured the winners of the first Short Story contest held by RTA as part of ‘Read More’ initiative tailored to support the national initiative designating 2016 as The Year of Reading. Honorees during the festival, which was run concomitantly with the state’s celebrations of October 2016, as the Month of Reading, also included members of the Judges Committee from The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.
Fatima Al Amri, Jayanth Ramganesh and Tarana Edwards won the prize of Under 11 Years category, while Abdullah Al Hawari, Yasmine Hury, Celine Samer, and Talah Suhail won the 12-14 Years bracket prize. Hind Al Marmoon, Aathma Nirmala, Nazzal Mohammed Naseer, and Sarah Madani won the prize of 15-17 Years category. In the 18 Years and above segment, the winners were Doha Fayez, Midhu Mary, Amina Hammad, Harini Lakshminarasimhan, and Joanna Justin.
Al Tayer was delighted with the success of the inaugural edition of the Short Story Competition; which has helped unearth several talents in writing; and goes in tandem with reading as no one can write without reading. The Contest thus supports the UAE initiative of designating 2016 as a Year of Reading, and October 2016 as a Month of Reading. He lauded the role of the Judging Panel and its extensive expertise in implementing the standards of the contest, which is focused on the business of the RTA.
“The initial edition of the Short Story Contest has received 572 stories written in Arabic & English focused on the headline: Life is a Journey. Accordingly, details of stories are linked to a life experience lived by the contestant with one of the public transport means with the aim of educating the rising generation about the importance of public transport, and how to make it part of our daily life. Categories targeted by the competition are Under 11, 12-14, 15-17, and 18 Years. Receiving 572 is a testament that the contest has realized its strategic objectives in terms of attracting talents, motivating younger generations to read, write and keep pace with events, besides promoting the services of the RTA. The winning stories will be printed and distributed in Bookstores at Metro Stations, school libraries and the Knowledge Chair launched with the MBR Foundation; which is available at Rashidiya & Abu Hail Bus Stations, Public Transport premises at Muhaisna, and Customers Service Centers at Al Barsha & Umm Romool. About 10 contributors were awarded certificates of appreciation and free items in order to encourage them to continue innovation and hone their talents for future editions of the Contest.
Ma. Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and Trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation and Festival Director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the judge of the contest, commended the short story contest considering it another superb initiative from the RTA for encouraging various spectrums to read, write and think big. “It also adds joy to the hearts of winners who will have an exceptional feeling in seeing their writings printed & published,” she stated. “The Panel received creative writing models in short story writing, which promises a great start down the path of encouraging such talents to continue shaping their future through reading & writing,” she noted.
The RTA has several internal initiatives in support of Reading & writing such as My Story, Knowledge Cup, Library Friends, and Readers Club. The RTA will also explore plans & strategies that open new horizons in encouraging employees & community members to maintain the habit of reading as it has a key role in building the identity.
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