The 30th edition of Croatia’s International Quran Contest began in Zagreb on Thursday. The opening ceremony saw the participation of organizers, judges, and competitors, kicking off the event in the Croatian capital.
Participants will compete in two categories: Quran recitation and memorization of the entire Quran. The contest will take place over two days, with performances scheduled for Friday and Saturday as contestants showcase their skills in hopes of securing top prizes.
Iran’s representatives, Mehdi Mahdavi and Yousef Jafarzadeh, are set to perform on Saturday. Mahdavi will compete in the memorization category, while Jafarzadeh will represent Iran in recitation.
The panel of judges includes Quran experts from various countries, such as Aziz al-Ulaili from Croatia, Yusuf al-Himadi from Qatar, Othman Shahin from Turkey, Sherzad Tahir from Iraq, and Kamal Guda from Algeria. Iranian Quran expert Ahmad Abolqassemi was scheduled to be part of the jury but was unable to attend due to visa issues.
Although Croatia is predominantly Christian, with only 1.3% of its population identifying as Muslim according to the 2021 census, the event highlights the country’s dedication to fostering interfaith understanding through such international competitions.
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