Jakarta hosts international Koran reading contest<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Participants from 45 countries are expected to compete in an
\ninternational Koran reading contest from Saturday through until
\nMonday next week, the first competition since the event was
\nrecently declared two-yearly.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for the Ministry of Religious Affairs Arifin Nurdin
\nsaid on Thursday Indonesia was named the host of the inaugural
\nbiennial competition for its achievement in a number of
\ninternational Koran reading contests in the past.<\/p>\n
\"We have won numerous international Koran recital
\ncompetitions, but have never played host to such an event,
\ndespite the fact that Indonesia is the country in the world with
\nthe largest Muslim population. Even the Philippines managed to
\nhost one,\" Arifin said.<\/p>\n
He said the government expected to promote Islam as a champion
\nof peace through the competition, which will be held at Jakarta's
\nIstiqlal Grand Mosque.<\/p>\n
\"We are keen to show the world that Islam is warmhearted,
\nrelieving and peaceful,\" said Arifin, also the spokesman for the
\nevent's organizing committee.<\/p>\n
Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agil Husin Almunawar had
\nsaid previously the international event should demonstrate that
\nIndonesia was safe despite a series of terrorist attacks in the
\ncountry over the past year.<\/p>\n
Arifin said 25 countries from five continents had confirmed
\ntheir participation in the event, which will shave Rp 2.5 billion
\n(US$294,000) off the state budget.<\/p>\n
All participants and delegations will stay at Borobudur Hotel
\nin Central Jakarta, located near the Istiqlal Mosque.<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri is scheduled to open the
\nevent and Vice President Hamzah Haz is slated to close it.<\/p>\n
Participants will be divided into two gender categories plus
\nan English translation category.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will be represented by winners of this year's
\nnational Koran reading competition.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the event's organizing committee, Taufiq
\nKamil, said the winner of each division would receive US$3,000 in
\ncash, with second place receiving $2,000 and third $1,000.<\/p>",
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