Even with some of the world's oldest and most prestigious publishing houses, extensive library networks and a celebrated literary culture, Europe is struggling to keep successive generations reading.
That was among the takeaways from a presentation by the Federation of European Publishers, which represents national publishing associations across the continent, at Frankfurt Book Fair last week.
While the federation reported that print book sales had fallen by about 6 per cent over five years in the markets surveyed, equivalent to a 110 million decline in copies, more revealing was its examination of reading habits.
Drawing on Eurostat research from 2022, the report highlighted that 47.2 per cent of European Union residents aged 16 and older had not read a book in the preceding year. Among those aged 16 to 29, nearly four in 10 had not read one.
The reasons reported by non-readers warrant attention. Among those aged 16 to 29, a lack of interest was cited by 58 per cent, compared with 21.8 per cent who said they lacked time. Across all age groups, 2.4 per cent identified cost or access as the obstacle.
The figures add to gnawing concerns that predate Frankfurt, with research published in February by Britain's National Literacy Trust finding that 46.9 per cent of children aged eight to 11 enjoyed reading in their free time, compared with 29.5 per cent of those aged 11 to 14. Among boys aged 14 to 16, the figure was just 18.8 per cent.
Europe's experience offers a reminder against taking the Arab world's considerable investment in introducing children to books for granted.
As educators and parents know, that desire to turn the page can change as they grow older, with education, social media and entertainment compete for attention, followed eventually by the growing pressures of professional and family responsibilities. Reading habits are not set in stone simply because children were encouraged during childhood. That is merely the first chapter of an ongoing story.
The UAE's Arab Reading Challenge demonstrates the scale of government support for nurturing the reading bug. Launched under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, this year's event – the 10th – attracted more than 40 million participants across 60 countries, organisers said. An impact study conducted in partnership with Unesco reported increased reading frequency and more books completed by participating students.
Meanwhile, the Emirates Literature Foundation's Reading for Pleasure programme, launched in 2023, is more concerned with encouraging children to see reading as something to enjoy rather than an exercise in muscle memory. The five-year pilot gives pupils at six Dubai primary schools access to books in Arabic and English, and time to read without being tested on what they have consumed. Researchers are evaluating its effects and the longer-term affects remain unknown.
Beyond the classroom, UAE libraries are also finding ways to keep books part of people's everyday lives. Sharjah's House of Wisdom and Dubai's Mohammed bin Rashid Library have become places to work, study and attend cultural events, as well as read books. The latter houses nine specialised libraries, including sections for children and young adults.
But reading habits cannot develop through osmosis alone and both libraries continue to encourage younger audiences through workshops, holiday programmes and exhibitions.
The quality of that content is critical, particularly when young Arabs themselves are questioning the appeal of the cultural content available to them. At the Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries in Abu Dhabi in September, a survey of 4,092 people aged 18 to 25 across 10 Arab countries found that 71 per cent preferred media in Arabic, yet 67 per cent considered much of the available Arabic content outdated compared with English-language alternatives.
The findings covered media broadly rather than books specifically, but they should give publishers reason to consider whether their books are resonating with younger audiences.
Cairo's Diwan Publishing is one example worth noting, having reintroduced Naguib Mahfouz's novels through contemporary cover designs and graphic-novel adaptations, including The Thief and the Dogs.
As previously reported by The National, co-founder Ahmed Qarmalawi said the project, developed with the Mahfouz family, sought to introduce the Nobel laureate's work to a generation familiar with his reputation but not necessarily his writing.
At the 2024 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, a large interactive pavilion dedicated to Mahfouz showcased the new editions. Qarmalawi recalled young visitors responding enthusiastically to the books, suggesting that an author some might regard as a literary cultural heirloom could still speak to a younger generation.
And in that regard, social media is also playing a role in building a love of books during adolescence. As The National has reported, BookTok and BookTube communities have emerged in the region, with members recommending titles, sharing punchy reviews and introducing fellow readers to new authors.
While the footfall at such events and the viewing figures online deserve to be celebrated, more work is needed to turn that enthusiasm into lasting reading habits and make reading books a normal part of life rather than homework. Authors and publishers must also take risks and create content that resonates.
With its young population, eclectic cultural sensibilities and governments that view culture as an investment, the Arab world has a chance to lead in keeping people reading.
That would be an achievement for a regional publishing industry still regarded as evolving by some of its European counterparts, provided the same commitment that encouraged children to pick up books in the first place is sustained.