40 contestants confirmed in Shaikha Fatima Quran Contest

Up to 40 countries have so far confirmed participation in the first edition of the Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Int'l Holy Quran Contest.
The announcement was made by Ibrahim Mohammed Bu Melha, Adviser to the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs and Head of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA) Organising Committee, on Tuesday.
All the Award units and committees are geared up for the major contest, a new branch of the 14-category Dubai International Holy Quran Award, which is scheduled to run after two months on November 06-18 this year.
"The DIHQA organising committee, having finished the activities of the Dubai International Holy Quran Award this Ramadan, immediately invited all Islamic countries and communities worldwide for participation in the girls-only contest."
The Award, in recognition of Shaikh Fatima's relentless effort and distinguished role in the service of Islam and the Holy Quran, named her the Islamic Personality of the Year as part of the DIHQA 19th edition last year.
The organising committee has accordingly decided to initiate a global Quran competition after her name: 'Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak International Holy Quran Contest', he added.
"The contest is a priceless chance for Muslim girls in the UAE and all over the world to compete in tightly memorising and perfectly reciting the Holy Quran as is the case with the competitors chipping in the Dubai International Holy Quran Award which is open for male memorisers only."
Each and every country will be represented in the Contest by only one full Quran female memoriser who has to be 25 years old or less as is the case with age limit in the male international holy Quran competition, Bu Melha elaborated.
"Up to 40 female Quran memorisers from across the Arab and Islamic countries and foreign communities all over the world have so far confirmed participation and many others are expected to chip in."
Bu Melha has advised all the units and teams of the award to be geared up for receiving the Quran memorisers and their attendants, along with the members of the arbitration committee who are to be all male arbitrators this year.
"An array of interesting activities and events are to be organised on the sidelines of the global competition, and these will be announced in a press conference in a few days."
Shaikh Fatima, who is also the Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, has dedicated herself for philanthropic work all over the globe, he underlined.
"The organising committee has prepared an exceptional cultural programme as is the case with the diverse activities, events and contests being organised all the year long."
These include the International competition, Shaikha Hind Bint Maktoum contest, UAE national memoriser contest, most beautiful recitation contest, inmate Quran contest, and lecture programme, he stated.
"These are added to the Shaikh Khalifa Mus'haf, Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid centre for Quranic manuscripts, Islamic Personality of the year, Quran recitation recording, Qiraat programme, and Quranic researches and studies."
Indicating, he said more details on the Award are available on (www.quran.gov.ae). "The Award organising committee can be also reached by e-mail at (quran@eim.ae), or on the phone at (04-2610666)."

• Dubai