Vice President Faisal Naseem has delivered remarks this evening at the Islamic Centre at the inauguration ceremony of the 33rd National Quran Competition.

The Vice President noted that today, being the 1st day of the Hijri New Year makes this a particularly auspicious date on which to launch this competition.

Further, the Vice President noted that despite the healthy competitive spirit, the underlying intent behind this competition is to help instil a love for the holy art of reciting the Holy Quran within our precious younger generations, and to nurture the love for Islamic values in our society.

The Vice President urged to deeply consider why the Maldives needs to rely so often on foreign religious experts to impart Islamic knowledge. He highlighted that this indicates a gap that can be filled with Maldivian religious leaders to educate us on Islamic knowledge, teach the Holy Quran and instruct on Islamic values.

He optimistically expressed that competitions such as these are stepping stones in the right direction, with several Maldivians recently receiving prestigious international accolades for the recitation of the Holy Quran.

He further expressed that ensuring that the Maldives always abide by Islamic values and is deferential to the principles and lessons laid out in the Holy Quran are among the highest priorities of this administration.

The Vice President also gave his sincere condolences to the victims of the recent tragic accident at sea, offering his prayers to Almighty Allah that they receive a blessed hereafter and that their families and loved ones are given the fortitude and grace to endure their grief.