Algeria is participating in the 22nd edition of the Universal Holy Qur'an Competition, which began Saturday in Cairo, Egypt, along with 100 contestants representing 60 countries.

Algeria is represented in the contest, which will run until 23 April, by the young reciters Bendjoudi Hamza from M'sila and Saadi Ahmed from Medea. They both participated in many national and international contests, including the International Qur'an Recitation Contest of Algiers and other contests in Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

The value of the combined prizes of the four-category contest is nearly one million Egyptian pounds (about US$ 131,000). The prizes will be distributed to the top five winners in each category.

Egypt's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab said in his opening address that the contest aims at the rapprochement of civilizations and cultures between Muslim peoples and teaching generations the good practice of the religion away from any extremism.