Dominican youths set Guinness World Record with 500 hours of continuous reading

Five 18-year-old Dominican youths have successfully completed a continuous reading marathon, reaching 500 hours to secure a Guinness World Record. The initiative, titled ‘Juventud en Voz Alta’, was organized by the Ministry of Youth in coordination with the Ministry of Education.

Starting on August 31, the participants—Abril Sharmin del Rosario Jiménez, Ismael Alejandro Durán, Maikol Yafrani Arias, Mayury Ariaany Vélez, and Franchesca Alí Minier—rotated in shifts to maintain uninterrupted reading for 24 hours a day. During the marathon, they read approximately 51 works, including classics like ‘The Iliad’ and various Dominican literary pieces, totaling nearly 14,000 pages.

The achievement surpasses the previous record of 431 hours held by Nigeria. The milestone was celebrated in the presence of Vice President Raquel Peña and Youth Minister Carlos Valdez Matos. The project aimed to promote literacy, discipline, and the importance of reading among the nation's youth.