Russian capital to Host Quranic Festival

SHAFAQNA – A Quranic festival is planned to be held in the Russia capital of Moscow later this month.

The festival will kick off on March 27 under the supervision of the Russian Muftiat Council, azertag.az website reported.

A number of other Islamic institutions, including the Muslims Affairs Departmnet will cooperate in running the event.

Moscow’s grand mosque will host the festival, the Muftiat Council said, adding that some ten thousand people are expected to take part at the event.

A number of Islamic books and Arabic manuscripts will be put on display during the festival.

There will also be a Quran competition for children under the age of 14.

The festival’s other programs include seminars on themes like prayers and a poetry reading contest.

There are some 23 million Muslims in the Russian Federation concentrated in north of the Caucasus, representing roughly 15 percent of Russia’s 145 million population.

Islam is the country’s second-largest religion, behind the Russian Orthodoxy.