Algeria Launches National Award for Best Friday Sermon

Algeria’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments has announced the launch of a National Award for the Best Sermon, as part of its efforts to strengthen the country’s national religious reference and reinforce the role of the Friday sermon as a platform for guidance, reform and public awareness.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ministry said the initiative also aims to highlight the role of mosques as spaces for religious and intellectual influence, while encouraging positive competition among imams and officials responsible for religious preaching.

The award is also intended to recognize the important educational and social role played by imams in serving both religion and the nation.

The ministry called on imams and employees responsible for delivering sermons who wish to participate in the competition to contact the provincial directorates of Religious Affairs and Endowments to obtain detailed information about eligibility requirements and participation procedures.

According to the ministry, the deadline for submitting applications is August 10, 2026, with files to be deposited at the relevant provincial directorates.

The submitted sermons will first undergo an initial selection process at the provincial level. The strongest entries will then be forwarded to a national committee responsible for evaluating the works and selecting the three top winners.

The ministry said the winners will be officially honored during celebrations marking the National Day of the Imam.

Through the new award, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments seeks to encourage higher-quality religious discourse, promote responsible preaching and strengthen the contribution of mosques to education, social cohesion and civic awareness.

The initiative also reflects Algeria’s broader approach to supporting a balanced national religious discourse rooted in moderation, social responsibility and the country’s established religious values.