In cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development has launched ‘Reader Makers’ initiative for punitive and correctional institutions’ inmates. The initiative, which comes as part of the UAE’s Month of Reading activities, aims to expand inmates’ intellectual knowledge and foster cultural and ethical values by encouraging the adoption of reading as a therapeutic method of rehabilitation, offering them a real opportunity to successfully reintegrate into society. The ‘Reader Makers’ initiative encompasses a comprehensive three-stage programme which employs reading as a powerful form of therapy. The first stage reinforces the importance of reading through reference books on the benefits of reading in addition to dictionaries and encyclopedias. The second stage focuses on self-help books related to behavioural issues and anxiety management. The final stage of the programme includes advanced-level books related to sciences and various fields. The Ministry has partnered with a number of entities to enrich the ‘Reader Makers’ library including, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalid Al Nahyan Cultural Center, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, Sharjah Institute of Heritage, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center, Dubai Judicial Institute, Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation, Zayed Centre For Studies And Research, and Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Cultural Center. Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, praised the Ministry of Interior’s support and the various contributing entities for their efforts and cooperation in fostering the cultural environment to help achieve the goals and objectives of the ‘Reader Makers’ initiative. Al Kaabi also called upon all public and private institutions involved in publishing to participate in the initiative reflecting the UAE’s unrelenting support for its people regardless of their circumstances or place of domicile to help promote reading and improve social awareness amongst the Emirati society. As part of the initiative, the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development will work on providing police officers taking part in the initiative with the best training and practices the field has to offer. Eligible inmates will be provided books based on their interests and needs, following which they will be required to submit an article on any book read by or to them during reading sessions. Additionally, the initiative will provide inmates with children’s books affording inmates the opportunity to read to their children over the phone.