Makkah: The judging committee for the final rounds of the 45th King Abdulaziz International Competition for Memorizing, Reciting, and Interpreting the Holy Quran, organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance, continued its sessions yesterday, listening to the recitations of 23 contestants, 11 in the morning and 12 in the evening, across the competition's five branches. This brings the total number of contestants heard so far to 72.

According to Saudi Press Agency, yesterday's participants represented Algeria, Gambia, Indonesia, Senegal, China, Central Africa, Morocco, Congo, Bangladesh, Angola, Kyrgyzstan, Ghana, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Saudi Arabia, Guinea, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Senegal, Djibouti, Tanzania, and Brunei. The competition will resume today with recitations from more participants in various categories, ahead of the selection of finalists for the closing ceremony.

The final qualifying rounds began last Saturday at the Grand Mosque in Makkah, featuring 179 contestants from 128 countries, under the supervision of a jury of distinguished international reciters and judges.