The Cultural Village Foundation, Katara, has revealed that the Katara Qur’an Recitation Award, now in its seventh session under the theme "Adorn the Qur’an with your voices," has garnered a record-breaking 1,315 entries from participants hailing from 64 Arab and foreign nations.

Arab entries in the competition number approximately 685, representing 18 Arab countries, while 630 entries have been submitted from 46 non-Arab countries. Leading the regional entries are the Maghreb countries with 307 submissions, followed by Egypt, Sudan, and Somalia with 233 entries. The Levant and Iraq contribute 93 entries, and the Arab Gulf countries have approximately 52 participants.

A thorough evaluation of all submissions by the screening committee will determine the top 100 participants, advancing to the qualifying stage in Doha. The seventh round qualifiers will unfold across 20 television episodes, each featuring five participants, with one participant selected in each episode to advance to the semi-final stage. In the semi-finals, 20 contestants and five reserves will compete through five episodes, resulting in one qualifier per episode. The final stage will witness the competition ring, and from the five finalists, the top three winners of the Katara Qur’an Recitation Award will be announced.

Nominations for the seventh session of the Katara Qur’an Recitation Award were accepted from October 1 to December 15, 2023.

The award's jury comprises six members, with three experts certified in recitations and intonation rules and three specialists in maqamat, beauty, and sweetness of the voice.

The objective of the Katara Award for Qur’an Recitation is to promote exceptional talents in Quranic recitation, discover and support emerging talents, showcase them globally, honor outstanding reciters, inspire the younger generation to adhere to their faith and fulfill their duties to the Islamic message. The award also aims to encourage Muslim children to engage with the Holy Qur’an, fostering understanding, performance, and contemplation.

A total of QR900,000 has been allocated for the award, with the first-place winner receiving QR500,000, the second-place winner QR300,000, and the third-place winner QR100,000.