Arabic was not Salsabil Hassan Sawalha’s first language, as she spoke the local language of the European where she gew up. When she picked up her first Arabic book, the letters and words seemed complicated, but she was determined to learn.

Mastering Arabic was not easy, especially when her family moved to Palestine. Salsabil found herself surrounded by people who had spoken it fluently since childhood, so she had to work twice as hard to keep up. With her mother’s support, she persevered and wrote her first short story at the age of seven. She began using these challenges to fuel her determination.

She participated in the Arab Reading Challenge for the first time when she was nine years old, and she did not stop there. She continued to participate for five consecutive editions. Despite the war in her country, she was committed to reaching the judging centres. Although she achieved second place in 2023, the situation in Palestine prevented her from travelling to Dubai.

Salsabil did not give up. She continued her journey until she earned first
place in the eighth Arab Reading Challenge in 2024, outperforming more than 28 million students from 50 countries to proudly represent Palestine.

For Salsabil, the Challenge was never just a competition. She saw it as a way to share her country’s voice and show that no matter the circumstances, dreams are possible. Her victory was not just for herself. She carried the hopes of her people and represented them with pride on the world stage.