Ten years later, Reading Box is still the UAE’s easiest way to fall back in love with books

Reading Box, Dubai Culture’s community reading initiative, returns to City Centre Mirdif from 28 October to 6 November 2025. This season is the 10th anniversary, with a packed schedule of talks, poetry nights and hands-on workshops. It sits under the School of Life programme and backs the UAE’s push on literacy and quality of life. 

What is Reading Box and why it matters

A long-running public programme that turns a mall visit into a quick hit of culture.

• Part of Dubai Culture’s School of Life
• Supports the UAE Reading Law and National Literacy Strategy
• Mixes panels, poetry, and creative workshops for families and adults
• Focused on building skills and connecting readers with writers

Reading Box launched a decade ago to normalise reading in daily life. It does this by showing up in high-footfall places and lowering the barrier to entry. By tying into national policy, it keeps one eye on outcomes like human capital and local literary production, not just feel-good book talk. 

For more on the broader programme, see our explainer on the School of Life at Dubai Public Libraries. It shows how workshops and clubs extend this idea year-round. 

Dates, venue and what to expect

Here’s the practical stuff you actually need.

• Dates: 28 October to 6 November 2025
• Venue: City Centre Mirdif, Dubai
• Format: talks, panel discussions, poetry evenings, creative workshops
• Audience: children, teens, adults; sessions with Emirati and resident writers

Across ten days, expect short sessions that you can drop into between errands. The programme promises direct engagement with local writers, poets and intellectuals, which usually means Q&A time and some informal meet-and-greet moments. If you’re planning a family visit, target late afternoons or early evenings when the mall crowd is lighter. 

Ten years on: what the numbers say

A quick pulse check on scale and impact.

• Start year: 2016
• Total activities so far: ~380
• Participants: 33,000+
• Students: nearly 2,000 from 70 schools
• Books distributed: 3,000
• Reported happiness index: 96%

The output is steady rather than flashy. Hundreds of activities across nine years suggest a reliable cadence. The mix of public turnout and school participation shows the programme now has roots in classroom calendars too. The 96% satisfaction figure is self-reported, but it tracks with the format: accessible, free, and easy to try for an hour. 

If you want a digital top-up at home, Dubai Culture’s Digital Library is worth a look, with e-books and databases available across the UAE. 

Why City Centre Mirdif keeps winning

The event has moved before, but Mirdif stuck.

• Past venues: The Dubai Mall, City Walk, Dubai Festival City Mall
• Permanent home since 2019: City Centre Mirdif
• Benefits: strong family traffic, easy parking, and central activation space

After early editions trialled different locations, the shift to City Centre Mirdif made sense. It’s a family mall with predictable weekend peaks and room for open setups that don’t feel cramped. That stability helps the team lock in partners and schools each year. 

Also on the Dubai Culture calendar: registration is open for the Al Quoz Creative Entrepreneurship Forum 2025, another good window into the city’s cultural ecosystem. 

How to plan your visit (UAE context)

Short, simple planning tips, localised.

• Aim for weekdays after 6 pm to avoid weekend crowd spikes
• Use public transport to Etisalat Metro + feeder bus or budget 15–20 minutes for parking
• Check the event schedule before you go; sessions can fill up fast
• Pair your visit with a library stop to keep the reading habit going

With schools in session and the weather softening by late October, evenings at the mall are bearable again. If you’re juggling kids’ schedules, pick a day with a workshop plus a poetry slot so everyone gets something. And if you’re into archives and local stories, browse Dubai Culture’s Burj Rashid virtual exhibition for a proper time capsule.

When is Reading Box 2025?

From 28 October to 6 November 2025 at City Centre Mirdif, Dubai. 

What activities are planned?

Talks, panel discussions, poetry evenings and creative workshops, with sessions featuring Emirati and resident writers. 

Is it part of a larger programme?

Yes. Reading Box is under Dubai Culture’s School of Life initiative that promotes lifelong learning in the community. 

How big is the programme today?

It has hosted around 380 activities for 33,000+ participants since 2016, with 3,000 books distributed and a 96% happiness index. 

Where did it run before Mirdif?

Earlier editions were at The Dubai Mall, City Walk and Dubai Festival City Mall. Mirdif has been home since 2019.