The third edition of the Reading for Pleasure Caravan Conference has concluded following four days of keynote addresses, panel discussions, workshops and practical sessions across Dubai, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi, bringing together about 120 local and international speakers and more than 2,000 parents, teachers, librarians and educators.

Organised by the Emirates Literature Foundation, the conference took on a new mobile ‘caravan’ format this year, travelling between four venues and exploring the role of reading in developing children’s learning, wellbeing, imagination and lifelong engagement with books. Inspired by the historic caravans that carried commerce, culture and knowledge across the Arabian Peninsula, the conference travelled from the Museum of the Future and Zayed University in Dubai, to United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain and the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi.

Now in its third edition, the conference forms part of the Foundation’s wider Reading for Pleasure initiative, a five-year pilot programme launched in 2023 to encourage children to read regularly for enjoyment in both Arabic and English, outside the pressures of academic assessment. The programme currently works with six schools in Dubai and brings together students, parents and educators as the three points of the ‘education triangle’.

Isobel Abulhoul OBE, Founder, Advisor and Member of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Literature Foundation, said: “My life’s mission, and the purpose behind creating the Emirates Literature Foundation, has always been to put a book into the hands of a child and give them the opportunity to discover the joy of reading. I truly believe that everyone is a reader; sometimes, we simply have not found the right book yet. Our mission to help create the readers of the next generation is bigger than any one of us, which is why the Reading for Pleasure team and the Emirates Literature Foundation have leaned so heavily on our partners. Together, we have been able to take this conversation beyond the classroom and into communities across the UAE, because creating a nation of readers requires all of us to play a part.”

The conference opened at the Museum of the Future, with an opening ceremony by Isobel Abulhoul OBE, followed by a keynote address from Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. The opening day, which was livestreamed with the generous support of the Arab Reading Challenge, focused on Reading for Pleasure and featured conversations on the importance of developing positive reading habits and creating environments where children can discover books for themselves. As part of the programme, the winning children of the Arab Reading Challenge also took centre stage, bringing their own experiences and passion for reading to the conversation.

The opening day also recognised the six schools participating in the Reading for Pleasure pilot programme through the Reading for Pleasure Awards, celebrating the work being undertaken by schools to create stronger reading cultures for their students.

His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh, Chancellor of United Arab Emirates University, said:

“Reading is not simply a skill to be acquired; it is a lifelong habit that shapes how we understand ourselves, our communities and the world around us. At United Arab Emirates University, we are proud to support an initiative that recognises the value of giving children the time, freedom and encouragement to discover the joy of reading. When young people are given the opportunity to read widely and follow their own interests, they develop not only knowledge, but also curiosity, imagination and a deeper understanding of the world.”

The conference then travelled to Zayed University for a day dedicated to Arabic Language and Bilingualism, followed by a day at United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain exploring Reading in Family and Community.

The conference concluded at the Higher Colleges of Technology’s Baniyas Campus in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of His Excellency Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, who delivered an address at the opening of the final day, which focused on Reading in Early Years.

His Excellency Dr Faisal Alayyan, President & CEO of the Higher Colleges of Technology, said: “Reading starts in childhood, when a child first discovers the joy of a story and the beauty of language. Our role is to make reading a lifelong culture and to give children the freedom to choose what they read, so it stays a pleasure they return to willingly. The Reading for Pleasure initiative brings families, teachers, researchers and educational and cultural institutions together to exchange expertise, learn from what works and devise approaches that resonate with children’s interests and everyday lives.”

Across the four days, speakers examined the latest research and practical approaches to reading, with sessions addressing topics including Reading on the Spectrum, An Overview of Policies on Reading in Arabic, How the Brain Reads, and Overstimulated and Under-Imaginative: What’s Happening to Our Children’s Reading Brains?

His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said:

“Preparing young people for the future means giving them more than the knowledge they need today. It means nurturing curiosity, creativity and the confidence to explore new ideas. Reading for pleasure gives children the freedom to imagine possibilities beyond what they already know, while developing the habits of learning that will serve them throughout their lives. Initiatives such as Reading for Pleasure play an important role in building a generation that is curious, adaptable and ready to shape the future.”

Dr Hanada Taha, Endowed Professor and Director of the Zai Research Center at Zayed University, said: “Children’s reading experiences are shaped by far more than what happens in a language lesson. The books they encounter, the languages they read in, the choices they are given and the attitudes towards reading at home and at school all influence whether reading becomes a lasting part of their lives. We need to understand these factors through both research and practice, particularly in multilingual communities such as the UAE. The Reading for Pleasure initiative provides an important opportunity to develop evidence that reflects the experiences of children here and can inform how we support readers in the UAE and beyond.”

A national and international exchange of expertise

The conference welcomed speakers from the UAE, the wider region and around the world, reflecting the growing body of research and practice focused on reading for pleasure and its role in children’s development.

Distinguished UAE speakers included His Excellency Dr Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Director General of the National Archives and Library of the UAE; His Excellency Dr Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the Arabic Language Centre; Dr Ahmed Al Kaabi, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at United Arab Emirates University; Alan Williamson, CEO of Taaleem; Dr Amani Batakji Chazy, Education Policies Advisor, The Education, Human Development, and Community Development Council; Dr Bochra Kaddoura, Early Childhood Specialist at the Sharjah Private Education Authority; Deema Al-Alami, Co-Founder of Arab Child Summit; Dr Farah Sarraj, Chief Corporate Officer at Al-Futtaim School Management Company; Dr Fuzan Alkhalidi, Director of Programmes and Initiatives at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives; Graham Paris, Director of Dubai Schools; Jessica Smith, Author and Former Paralympian; Dr Maddalena Campioni, Neuroscientist; Dr Maryam AlJassmi, Associate Professor, United Arab Emirates University; Dr Mona Aljanahi, Associate Professor, United Arab Emirates University; Nadine Bakhous, Author at Dar Al Bouma Publishing; Niamh Allen, Corporate Head of EAL at GEMS Education; Dr Reem Al Gurg, Director of Strategy and Institutional Excellence at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Dr Saeed Kharbash, CEO of Policies, Research and Programmes at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority; Dr Saliha Afridi, Clinical Psychologist and Founder of The Lighthouse Arabia; Dr Sameera Alhosani, Director of Children’s Library at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi; and Dr Tim Mackintosh-Smith, Arabist and Author.

International speakers included Dr Alaa Al Najim, Assistant Professor in Children’s Literature at King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia; Davinder Dosanjh, Researcher at the University of Birmingham, UK; Dr Fajer Bin Rashed, Assistant Professor at Australian University, Kuwait; Gavin McCormack, Founder of Upschool; Dr He Sun, Associate Professor at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and Dr Simon Liversedge, Professor at Northumbria University, UK.

The full conference programme is available at readingforpleasure.ae/events and the full list of speakers at readingforpleasure.ae/author.

Building a culture of reading for pleasure

Launched in 2023 through a memorandum of understanding between Emirates Literature Foundation and DP World, the five-year Reading for Pleasure pilot programme aims to create sustainable reading habits among children in both Arabic and English.

Working with six primary-level schools in Dubai, the programme provides children with greater access to books and dedicated time to read for enjoyment, while supporting parents and educators in creating environments that encourage reading beyond the classroom curriculum. Activities include enhancing school and classroom libraries, creating outdoor reading spaces, developing age- and culturally appropriate reading lists, hosting author visits and providing professional development opportunities for teachers.

The programme is designed to establish centres of excellence that can provide a model for wider adoption across the UAE and the region. Alongside this practical work, a key component of the initiative is its commitment to rigorous academic research. Research partners from Zayed University, United Arab Emirates University, Higher Colleges of Technology, the University of Birmingham and the University of Cambridge are collecting baseline and ongoing data to build a body of local research around the impact of the initiative.

The research will contribute to the growing global body of evidence on reading for pleasure, while generating locally relevant insights into what helps children develop lasting reading habits in bilingual and multicultural communities. Its findings will add to the international conversation around reading for pleasure and provide an evidence base for educators, policymakers and researchers in the UAE and beyond.

Since the inaugural Reading for Pleasure Conference in 2024, the initiative has continued to expand its network of partners. Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and the Arab Reading Challenge have provided strategic support, while Emirates Airline became a travel partner.

This year’s conference was supported by its four venue partners: Museum of the Future, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates University and Higher Colleges of Technology, enabling the conference to reach educators and communities across three cities.

The Reading for Pleasure initiative reflects the Emirates Literature Foundation’s wider commitment to developing a culture of reading and storytelling in the UAE, with a focus on giving children the opportunity to discover books, develop their interests and become lifelong readers.

OPSWAT, a global leader in critical infrastructure protection (CIP) cybersecurity solutions, and Redington, a leading technology aggregator, today announced a distribution partnership covering the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Levant, Türkiye, Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The partnership combines OPSWAT’s CIP portfolio with Redington’s on-the-ground sales, technical, warehousing, logistics and financing capabilities. Together, OPSWAT and Redington will widen access to specialised protection for segmented, air-gapped and operational technology (OT) environments across government, defence, banking, telecoms, energy, utilities and other regulated sectors.

The agreement will have an initial emphasis on solutions such as MetaDefender Kiosk™ and MetaDefender Optical Diode™ for government, defence and OT environments. Redington’s local stockholding, logistics infrastructure and in-country technical resources will support the movement and deployment of these solutions across a region in which procurement requirements vary significantly and supply-chain continuity remains under pressure. Its financing capabilities will also help partners pursue complex, multi-stage projects, particularly in frontier markets.

Critical infrastructure has become an increasingly visible front in geopolitical conflict, with both cyber and physical incidents demonstrating how rapidly disruption can spread beyond the initial target and  particularly affecting growth markets. The World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 found that 36% of organisations in Africa lacked confidence in their country’s preparedness to respond to a major cyber incident affecting critical infrastructure, compared with 15% in Europe and North America.

The partnership will enable channel partners to build integrated solutions addressing the security and compliance requirements of critical environments. OPSWAT’s specialised capabilities for protecting files, removable media, segmented networks and OT environments can be combined with infrastructure and cybersecurity technologies available through Redington’s wider portfolio. Partners can then add assessments, implementation and professional services to deliver complete, outcome-based CIP propositions, rather than standalone products.

Managed services will form a central part of this partnership. Through Redington’s DigiGlass offering, partners will be able to extend customer engagements into 24/7 security operations without having to make the upfront investment required to build their own security operations capabilities.

Hussam Sidani, Regional Vice President – META, OPSWAT, said, “Critical infrastructure customers cannot wait for technology to clear borders, financing gaps or skills shortages. Redington brings resilience on all three fronts. Its financial stability gives partners the confidence to pursue complex, multi-stage projects; its regional stock and logistics help keep hardware-led deployments moving when supply chains are under pressure; and programs like DigiGlass give partners a path from product resale into recurring, higher-value managed services.”

Sayantan Dev, Chief Executive Officer, Software Solutions Group, Redington, said, “Critical infrastructure is becoming increasingly connected, making its protection more complex and more critical. As AI accelerates both innovation and the sophistication of emerging threats, partners need the right technologies, expertise and support to stay ahead. This is where technology ecosystem orchestration becomes important – bringing together the right security capabilities, partner expertise and market context. Through our partnership with OPSWAT, we aim to enable partners to strengthen cyber resilience, address emerging AI-driven risks and build relevant solutions that help customers protect the critical infrastructure their businesses and economies depend on.”

During the first 12 months, OPSWAT and Redington will prioritise Africa, Türkiye and CIS through recruiting and certifying partners, building qualified pipeline and pursuing early customer reference wins. OPSWAT will lead technical certification and enablement, while Redington drives partner recruitment and channel logistics across the region. The same partner, enablement and go-to-market framework will be available across the wider METAPCIS footprint from day one, with execution tailored to local regulations, procurement requirements and channel readiness.

Kingston Technology Europe Co LLP an affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it has been ranked the top third-party DRAM module supplier in the world, according to the latest rankings by revenue from analyst firm TrendForce. Kingston retains its number 1 position with an estimated 62% market share.

TrendForce reported that the global DRAM module market generated approximately $21.2 billion in revenue in 2025, representing a 59% YoY increase and a significant acceleration from the 7% growth recorded in 2024. The market’s expansion was driven by rising DRAM prices and stronger shipment volumes during the second half of the year. According to the report, Kingston’s revenue grew 48% YoY in 2025, reinforcing its leadership position in a market where the top five DRAM module suppliers accounted for only 77% of total revenue. Kingston alone represented nearly two-thirds of the market.

The DRAM market experienced a dramatic shift during 2025. Early in the year, DRAM module manufacturers increased DDR4 inventory levels in response to tariff concerns and DRAM suppliers’ end-of-life plans for DDR4 products. Later in the year, growing demand from cloud service providers supporting agentic AI workloads significantly increased server DRAM consumption. This surge reduced DRAM allocations available for PC and consumer applications, contributing to higher memory prices and stronger module market performance.

Kingston’s industry-leading procurement scale allowed the company to strategically manage inventory throughout 2025 and as DRAM pricing strengthened during the second half of 2025, Kingston was well positioned to aggressively support channel demand, helping drive its strong annual performance. TrendForce also noted that DRAM module manufacturers increasingly focused on industrial and enterprise server markets during 2025 while accelerating the transition to DDR5-based product portfolios. Kingston continues to expand its comprehensive memory offerings across consumer, enterprise, industrial, and data centre applications, helping customers navigate evolving technology requirements and next-generation computing workloads.

“Maintaining our leadership position in a dynamic and rapidly evolving memory market reflects Kingston’s long-term strategy, strong supplier relationships, and commitment to serving customers worldwide,” said Iwona Zalewska, DRAM Business Manager, Kingston, EMEA. “Our ability to anticipate market transitions, manage inventory effectively, and provide reliable memory solutions enabled us to support partners and customers throughout the year.”