Dominican youth set Guinness World Record with 500-hour reading marathon

A team of five Dominican youths has reclaimed the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous reading aloud marathon. The group, participating in the “Juventud en Voz Alta” initiative, completed over 500 hours of continuous reading in Santo Domingo, surpassing the previous record of 431 hours held by a Nigerian team.

The participants—Abril Sharmin del Rosario Jiménez, Ismael Durán, Maikol Arias, Mayuri Vélez, and Franchesca Minier—maintained 24-hour reading shifts for more than 21 days. The event was organized through a collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and the Ministry of Education.

President Luis Abinader congratulated the students for their discipline and perseverance, noting they serve as an example for the country. The achievement aims to stimulate reading habits among the nation's youth and promote literacy through public engagement.