2026 Arabic Short Story Contest Now Open

The contest invites students to respond to an open-ended writing prompt, offering an opportunity to develop their language abilities and explore their imagination through storytelling

This year’s prompt is: A talking animal takes you on a journey. What happens on your adventure?

The contest is open to Arabic learners in grades 6 to 12 (ages 11-18) across all learning environments, including public, private, community based, and homeschool settings, in the following countries: the United States, Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Canada, and Spain.

The contest supports the development of students’ Arabic narrative writing skills, including description, sequencing, and clear storytelling. It also promotes assessment readiness by reflecting prompt-based writing tasks commonly found in national examinations, such as GCSEs, A Levels, and other school leaving examinations, as well as proficiency assessments including AAPPL, STAMP, and NEWL.

Educators are encouraged to share this opportunity with their students as a meaningful way to build language proficiency, foster creativity, and increase confidence in writing in Arabic. The contest also provides a platform for heritage speakers, native speakers, and world language learners to demonstrate their talents and deepen their connection to the Arabic language.