According to raya.com, Farid ibn Ya’qub Miftah, deputy of Bahrain’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, said that more than 9200 Quran activists from 81 countries participated in this edition of the competition.
Due to the outstanding rise in the number of participants, the organizing committee decided to increase the number of the jury members and invite Quran experts from other countries, he added.
Miftah said that 15 representatives of seven countries who have successfully passed three stages of the competition will compete in the fourth round on April 22.
The final stage will then be organized for five top Qaris on April 23 and winners will be awarded in the closing ceremony on April 24.
The official said that the Quranic Affairs Office of the ministry has organized the competition to disseminate Quran reading among all different age groups.
A new category titled “Teen Qari” for the participants under the age of 17 has been added to the competition this year.
The “Public Qari” and “Top Quranic Institute” are the other categories of the competition.
Akram Muhammad Maliki from Yemen was selected as the “Qari Al-Jumhur” (the public Qari).