Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif Al Alsheikh, General Supervisor of the Local and International Quran Competition, today inaugurated the final rounds of the 45th King Abdulaziz International Quran Memorization, Recitation, and Interpretation Competition.
Organized by the ministry under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the event is being held at the Grand Mosque with the participation of 179 contestants from 128 countries.
The final rounds will continue for six days, divided into morning and evening sessions, with a panel of international judges overseeing the proceedings.
In his opening speech, Minister Al Alsheikh welcomed the attendees and participants, emphasizing that one of Allah’s greatest blessings upon the Kingdom is the honor of serving the Holy Quran and honoring its bearers, from the era of the founder King Abdulaziz to that of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
He noted that the ministry takes pride in organizing this prestigious competition, where contestants strive to perfect the memorization, recitation, and interpretation of the Holy Quran in the holiest place on earth.
He added that the ministry has established clear judging criteria and a publicly announced methodology to ensure fairness and transparency, selecting an elite panel of judges from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Uganda, and Albania.
The total prize money amounts to SAR4 million, with an additional SAR1 million in cash gifts distributed to all participants. The opening ceremony received wide coverage from local and international media, which broadcast the competition live.
The ministry has set up a dedicated media center to receive delegations and enable continuous live broadcasting to showcase this global Quranic event.